"Simple, but still a classic!"

Delta Queen would have to be one of my favorite older pinball machines. I bought it a few years ago for my family and since the first day I bought it, it has gotten an amazing amount of playing and has a replay value through the roof. It isn't very complicated like newer games but is quite fun and addicting.

The main way to score in this game is by collecting and raising your bonus level. You can get up to a 20,000 point bonus. To get your bonus up there is three buttons on the high right side, two targets on either side near the lower bumpers, and two on both sides of the inner lane at the bottom. You can really only get a 10,000 point bonus but you can double that by hitting the two targets on the island in the middle of the machine. There is two ways to collect your bonus. Of course you can collect it by loosing a ball, or you can try and get it in the hole at the top left of the machine to collect your full bonus. When your ball ends, you loose your bonus and start back out at 1,000. When you get your bonus up to 10,000 points, one of either two lights will light up. Either the extra ball or special will light up. A special is a free game. These options will alternate every time you hit a bumper. You can only get one extra ball per ball and once you get it once, that option will not light up anymore.

When you first plunge the ball, you can either go one of two ways. You can go down the lane with the three buttons to raise your bonus, which is the hardest or one of the three smaller lanes that give you 1,000 points apiece. As soon as you go through one of those lanes, you will encounter three circular bumpers. If one is lit it is worth 100 points a hit and if it isn't lit 10 points. To light them depends on what lane you went down earlier. The middle one is always lit. The right one will light up upon going down the left lane and same for the left side. If you go down the middle all three will light up.

After encountering the circular bumpers, you will either go in a hole to collect over 500 points or 5,000 points depending on the situation or you will go down either two sides of that towards the flippers. To determine whether you get 500 or 5,000 point bonus while falling down the central hole, is it will alternate every time you hit any bumper on the machine. Once you get the 10,000 point bonus, that hole will alternate between extra ball or special.

That is the basics of Delta Queen. It is quite simple compared to pinball games of today but is still a classic in my eyes. It is quite fun to play but is quite rare in the arcade.

Game Play
Like I said, the game play is very simple in Delta Queen. Though it is simple, it is very fun to play and very addictive.

Fun Factor
This is one of the most fun pinball games I've ever played. Though it doesn't have as many components as other games and doesn't bring the excitement and speed of other machines.

Replay Value
For a household, this game would be an excellent buy. For an arcade, this may not be much a good purchase. It won't bring too much crowd these days, but if you see it in the arcade, it is worth playing. But watch out because it is very addicting!

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 01/16/06