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Who fixes my machines when I can't
Great Pinball Links
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Bally Sea RayThis was our second machine and what a lucky break it was to get it. Having had so much fun with the Grand Prix, we decided that if another desirable pin came along we'd grab it. After doing the requisite research and deciding on what games to watch for, this Sea Ray popped up on Ebay in Wadsworth, Ohio. The stipulation of the purchase was that it was a pick-up only and had to be removed from the current owner's basement. It looked to be in great shape and I bid a $310 max figuring Kyle and I wouldn't have a problem getting it out and in the van if we won the bid. In the final days of the auction, the bid went to $425, then $600, then back to $450. I couldn't quite figure out what was going on, but didn't want to get mixed up in the bidding war. I left it go and saw that the final bid was $450. Oh well, my tough luck and I forgot about it. One month later, the weekend before Thanksgiving 2002, I got a surprise email from Tracy in Wadsworth asking if I was still interested in the Sea Ray. The high bidder fell through on shipping costs and Tracy needed it removed from the basement ASAP. He would even give it to me for my last high bid of $310. Of course I said yes and Kyle and I went for our first pin pick up journey the Friday after Thanksgiving. Tracy even threw in an old gumball machine on top of the deal. Everyone deserves to get lucky like this on occasion.
The backglass and playfield of this pin are nearly perfect. There's a small chip at the tip of the lady diver's fin and a bit of fading in front of the lights on the red diving suits but nothing worse than that. The playfield is also in great shape with just a little bit of grain showing in a few spots and a bit of wear around the bumpers in the Manta Ray. The cabinet is in fantastic shape (except for a small drop of paint on the left side from some remodeling project). The inside is as clean as I've ever seen a pin of this age. Tracy allowed the pictures that he used on Ebay to be posted on the IPDB and you can see the drop of paint in the one picture. The fact that this is a two player game does not detract from the machine, as most times at our house we really only play one player games. Additionally, I like the artwork on this model better than its 4 player cousin Mariner. This pin has backbox bells instead of chimes in the cabinet for a bit of a different sound. We have it set up to award free balls at 33,000, 45,000, 56,000, 67,000 79,000 and 88,000 points.
Game Play & Strategy This game has lots of ways to score, if you get a chance to hit the ball!! It will drain through the left outlane 75% of the time, especially if you don't hit the center mushroom bumpers dead on. Other times the ball will wander aimlessly around the playfield until it finds a way to avoid flippers and dip into the outhole. However the features of the game keep you playing again and again. There are seven ways to build up advance bonus. Two top rollover buttons, two midfield mushroom bumpers, two targets on the lower playfield and one near the top right lane. Bonus can only be collected by landing the ball in the top kickout hole or in the right side kickback lane. That lane has a very difficult skill shot to hit its lower opening and a luck opening at the top. A zigzag configured left lane will award different combinations of specials with free balls, up post and right ball save gate activation. Lower targets will also light for free balls and gate opening. The center mushroom bumper will award 1000 to 5000 points based on the match unit advance as shown by the lit bubbles on the playfield. The game strategy is twofold. Attempt to gain extra balls and collect the bonus on the initial plunger shot at the top of the playfield. While advancing bonus and collecting it on your own through skill shots is a possibility, it's not as efficient as doing it on the initial shot from a free ball. After that, you need to collect mystery bubble points from the center mushroom bumper. The best way to accomplish that is by holding the ball when the up post is activated and shooting for the center bumper. With the right shot you can rack up multiple points there. I've found that it's not worth shooting for the center bumper when the bubbles are at less than 3000 points due to the risk of draining a poorly placed shot. Additionally, the free ball or open gate targets can be hit directly from the ball resting between the flipper and the activated post, so if the lights are lit and the post is up, let the ball rest in the gap and pick off a target. I shoot the ball up the sides if the post is down and shoot for the center bumpers when the post is up. Without the free ball levels set as we now have them, play was very limited and games rarely passed 20,000. Still it's tough to get that first free ball level and many a ball will only get you 100 or 200 points with a five ball score below 10,000. Bleh!! Game Rating A very fun pin to play but I've never seen one so frustrating at the same time. I'm still very glad we picked it up (especially with the breaks we got in doing so). One of my favorites that I remember playing in a bar when I was on a survey crew for the City of Toledo over a summer in college. Give it a solid 8+ out of 10, with the frustration factor being the only reason it's not higher.
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