Billiards Plus - Vancouver, WA

[eric]

Current lineup as of yesterday (11/28):

WPT, Twilight Zone, STTNG, X-Files, Bad Girls, Hot Tip (SS), Xenon, Eight Ball Deluxe, Flash Gordon, Spy Hunter, Firepower, Corvette, Big Game, Bad Cats, Tales from the Crypt, Batman Forever.

Bad Girls and Corvette were turned off. The early SS machines were a little floaty, but everything I played was well maintained and running at 100%. Well worth the trip.

[Dropshot]

I disagree, Jake and I went up there a few weeks ago and half the machines were turned off, the other half were too floaty and their game selections suck unless you enjoy playing bad late 70's early 80's pinball machines. In my mind it is not worth the trip, but I am glad I went once. I think I was more pissed that TZ was down and that is what I really wanted to play.

[HornedGramma]

TZ at O'Brien's on NW 21st is in pretty decent shape. The bartender there most nights loves that particular game and is totally diligent when it comes to getting it fixed when there is ANYTHING wrong with it. And he'll stand there and watch you like a hawk while you play it to make sure you don't mistreat it, or beat his scores.

[Dropshot]

I've got my own secret TZ in great condition thanks to Bounceback, I appreciate it and take care of her. Your secrets safe.

[eric]

I don't think they have a bad selection, but then again I really enjoy a lot of the early SS stuff. In my opinion, Flash Gordon, EBD, and Firepower are all excellent games and it's cool to see them all on location. Agreed, few games were prohibitively floaty (especially Firepower) and many others could definitely use some pitch adjustment.

Bummer TZ wasn't up when you were there. It was playing great yesterday and was properly pitched. My only complaint was that the right flipper rubber was kind of old which made dead flipper passes risky, though you could trap a ball kicked out of the slot machine no problem.

[Dropshot]

I really wanted to play firepower but that was down too. Looks like I get to come to your place to play it now.

[eric]

Rhodes and I went here over the weekend and everything was playing great with the exception of STTNG which was feeding two balls into the shooter lane and Corvette which was turned off. TZ in particular was playing great. Current lineup: WPT, TZ, STTNG, X-Files, Bad Girls, Xenon, Flash Gordon, Spy Hunter, Corvette, Big Game, Bat Cats, TFTC, Batman Forever.

[ROM]

WSOP? Do you mean World Poker Tour?

[eric]

Yes, that's what I meant.

[eric]

Current lineup is WPT, TZ, STTNG, Flintstones, Big Game, Xenon, EBD, Flash Gordon, Spy Hunter, Bad Cats, TFTC, Batman Forever.

Everything seemed to be playing really well. Notable highlights were the TZ (fast and crisp) and the wall of Ballys. The left flipper was a little droopy on Flash Gordon, but that didn't stop me from pumping several dollars into it. All of the old games are set to 5 ball, $.25/credit.

[Opto]

Yep - much more fun than I remembered it. In fact . . . I really close to going back today to play more Flash Gordon. Nash said that Corvette is working great and he'll be adding it to the lineup there soon.

[inthecan]

Stopped by this joint yesterday before I went to work and played for about 1 hr. My overall impression on this visit could be summed up as a "WTF how is this place still in business?" type of vibe, I have never seen anyone else in here on all my visits.. the place must really get rocking at night on the pool tables or something because I can't see how they can afford to keep the doors open otherwise.

When we first visited this place about 1.5 yrs ago it was pretty damn dope: Machines were mostly in good shape, all of the early SS machines were .25 and in excellent condition, unfortunately they must feel that the way they were going to make $ was to hike up the rates on the tables, I should have checked the videogames to see if they tried the same tactic there.

All of the SS machines now have really cheezy looking handwritten inserts that say "50 cents per game" Xenon (working really nicely), 8ball Deluxe (Right flipper currently has UZI mode and repeatedly flaps when you tap it) and Big Game (probably the best table there) are still only a quarter though! But paying .50 with no 3 games for 1.00 rebate on Bad Cats is pretty damn sad if you ask me, Spy Hunter gives you 5 balls and is in really good condition though. I think that this place could kick ass if the machines were serviced better, it's incredibly spacious and they do have some great machines in there, as it is I can't see it staying open forever the way it is going but maybe I am totally mistaken.

As for the DMDs I played Tales from the Crypt which was working pretty nicely, last few times I was in there it has had all sorts of issues so it is good to see it finally got some attention. The Flintstones works well but is set on maximum rear pitch mode and tends to drain really fast.. Best case scenario in my opinion would be convincing whoever is holding these things to put them on site in PDX, I believe the Pinball Doctor owns several of them.

[Opto]

Yeah - we used to take missions out there to play Flash Gordon . . . but then I bought it off 'them, and haven't been back.

Big Game and EBD are awesome. I seem to remember their TZ playing great as well. Most of the machines are Steve Hoppers - I think he's kinda storing them there and Chris Nash maintains them.

[Chris]

I have been trying to get Steve to come and switch some games at billiards plus, but we dont change games because of the weather, and we can only fit so many games in the billiard hall. I just purchased a Pirates of the Carribean, Terminator 3, Monopoly, Flintstones, Simpsons Pinball Party, Nascar. Black Knight 2000. The terminater 3, Simpsons, Nascar, are not there yet Because of room and they still need some work to make them perfect. when these games get finished the corvette is going bybye, also is the stern big game, And the spy hunter. also in the next 3 months I am trying to get an avatar a CSI and a Ironman. Sometimes when I go to Pacific pinball expo for 3 months the games in the billiard hall kinda get abanded because I am in cal working another 400 Plus games for expo. Also Eric if I can do you any favors Please call. I will always be working on pinballs. On Steves behalf I traded a flash gordon for a NBA FAST BREAK. Because we wanted something different at billiards. I hope that the games at billiards work and are levelled to your satisfaction. I am the only person that works on all these games and all the other games that are there. Hope to see you at PPE in Sept, It truly is jaw dropping. Keep flippin Portland. Chris

[Chris]

Some of our games at Billiards are set so that the avid GOOD players can play with a challenge such as star trek next gen and NBA. The easiest games in there are Bad cats and Monopoly for the women and children. We had to up the prices on pinballs because of maintenence costs. I love pinball just like anyone else, But You also have to afford to run them as well. I was thinking about putting some old school games in there as well such as a Jack in the box or a royal flush??? Right now The corvette is still having problems the optic switches keep going bad. The batman display goes on and off. There is just not enough hours in a day. Chris

[Opto]

Hey Chris - Noah here. YES - old school games there would be really cool. Honestly I don't know how many "normal folk" who just wander in there to play pool will play them, but it would certainly entice some portland players to mission out there to play. I heard there was a Seawitch there recently - that's awesome.

Any early Solid States, EM's etc that you can have out would be great. We can all play new sterns and dmd's anywhere it town, but as you know there ain't no place that has EM's or early Ballys/Sterns. That was why we used to take field trips out there for Flash Gordon, Big Game, EBD etc.

Thanks!

[revtest]

what do you want for that Corvette????

[Chris]

the corvette does not belong to me chris

[Chris]

The Seawitch is going to PPM Also is the Black Knight 2000.

[Chris]

Billiards makes most of there money on Friday an Saturday Nights If you are going there to play pinball tell them at the door you are with crazy flipper fingers and they will point you to the change machines. Bad cats is the easiest game in there. as a matter of fact I think the tilt pendulum is not hooked up For the women and children. if you go in there and there is a problem please let them know what game is having a problem and what the problem is, they will call me quickly and tell me. Chris