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Review: Pinballreviews.com on ??/??/????

Game: Banzai Run
Designer: Pat Lawlor
MFG:WMS

               Reviewer  Rudy  8Ball  Drac  Buzz  Total
          Art-Backglass
  Art-Playfield/Cabinet  7     8      7     8     7.5
                  Sound  8     8      8.5   9.5   8.5
                  Rules  8.5   7      9     8     8.25
       Playfield Design  8     8.5    10    7.5   8.5
Replayability/Longevity  8     8      9     6     7.75
            Total Score                           8

Pluses

Rudy: Vertical playfield rates 9 based on innovation. Easy goal, become number 1! You just have to work to get there. Upper playfield teaches you not to hold the flippers up. At least until the save post disappears! Always a thrill to hit the upper playfield captive ball when lit for jackpot.

8Ball: Cool concept with decent sounds and speech. Defeating King of the Hill has great lamp & sound effects.

Drac: Innovative vertical playfield, nice tight shot to relight kickback/ball lock

Buzz: Awesome sound package for its time. "BANZAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!" Vertical playfield is a rush, especially the captive ball. Even the freestyle area adds some variety. Cool skill shot for its time.

Minuses

Rudy: Horizontal playfield rates 7.

8Ball: Set new standards in game play & price! Rule depth a little shallow but still in line with other pins of '88. Upper playfield gets a little repetitious once you get the pattern down to get to the top. Still, it's no cake walk defeating Red Hot. Freestyle area of upper PF is an afterthought that usually doesn't award much of anything.

Drac: Sometimes the player is penalized for hitting the right ramp shot by having the ball feed right between the flippers

Buzz: Bottom playfield a little bland, mostly standups. Completing King of the Hill starts a repetitive guitar rift which doesnt end till the ball drains. Even a collector geek can turn this game over.