Williams

Cyclone

Pinside Rating

This game received 265 approved Pinsider ratings and currently rates 7.596 _/10

7.596

Top 100 ranking

This game ranks #172 in the Pinside Pinball Top 100.

Score breakdown

Score breakdown in the 4 main categories:

Game Design: 7.693

Artwork: 7.676

Sounds/Music: 6.746

Other Aspects: 7.643

Pinside staff rating

This is how we, the very knowledgeable (wink wink) Pinside.com staff & moderators rate this game. 6 of us have rated this game.

6.678

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Found 143 ratings (with comment) on this game

There are 143 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
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6.628/10

20 days ago

VEE

Veemonroe

Pinside member

London

2y 55,550 205 7 176

Played a few times at the Dutch Pinball Museum.

Cyclone isn’t the greatest System 11 that I’ve played. It’s not even the best System 11 I played for the first time in the Dutch Pinball Museum.

It feels very much a novelty machine, with the main focus the Comet (easy), Cyclone (hard) and Ferris Wheel (boring) ramps/features, plus a difficult drop target. Below the ramps are a bunch of very dull pops and a handful of stand ups. It feels underpowered and dated somehow, especially given the flippers were relatively weak on the one I played.

The overall experience was akin to desperately trying to cross a fairground, but not being able to get to the rides somehow. And, when you did get to them, they weren’t terribly interesting and over quickly. The backglass art was also ‘meh’ as if it had been assembled in MS Paint.

7.088/10

3 months ago

MSL

SantaEatsCheese

Pinside+ Pro!

Crofton, MD

5y 209K 9,696 6 85 1

Cyclone is a fun game I'd recommend, but not as an only pin. Its a one ball game which is a pleasant change of pace, but I miss multiballs if I play it for long. Progressive jackpot is neato, but kills it from a high score/tournament perspective. The toys are neat and the objectives are straight forward. Overall its a fun system 11 game around the middle of the pack for the system.

SantaEatsCheese has owned this game in the past.

5.188/10

3 months ago

OPA

Peterschuringa

Pinside member

Dordrecht

4y 34,250 1 5 49

Don’t like it.

5.618/10

4 months ago

CAM

DeputyDrain

Pinside member

Saint Paul, MN

<1y 31,250 138

Really monotonous and feels like a game that should've come from a time much earlier than when it did arrive. Go play the other two iterations of these amusement park pins, they do what it is trying to do but far better.

8.404/10

1 year ago

BSB

wichitakid71

Pinside+ Frequent

3y 31,650 29 9

I had this game for a few years and I miss it. I played it when I was young and then again when I started collecting. The call outs and sounds are great, and the ramp shots though straightforward are still fun and challenging. I love the playfield and back glass art. If I can find this again at the right price I'll add it back to my collection.

7.199/10

1 year ago

WER

Bohm

Pinside+ Addict

Semmes, AL

3y 52,400 320 11 8

There’s a lot going on for a one ball game, no real toys unless you count the Ferris wheel but I see that as more of a ramp. Back glass artwork is pretty cool but the playfield is just ok, I think they could have had added more color too it but I wouldn’t call it bad. It’s fun to shoot going for the 2 main ramps and the spook house shot is a great risk/ reward combo.

Bohm has owned this game in the past.

6.536/10

1 year ago

JJP

Pomz

Pinside member

Buffalo, MN

5y 35,150 36 3 39

I played this the other day and I really wanted to like it but I just didn’t. I don’t like the theme right off the bat and the music gets annoying real fast. Some of the shots are fun and mystery wheel but I found myself tired of the game. I got a free game but didn’t play again maybe it’s just because I don’t understand the rules. I’ll give it another try sometime but I think I did pretty well and still didn’t enjoy it.

9.036/10

1 year ago

???

GrandpaTroy

Pinside member

South Beloit, IL

1y 24,000 11 14

Off all my games kids love this one the most. Ramps, fun house, you with the face, Ferris wheel. Great game fun loud various sounds lots to shoot for. 15 sec double scoring specials. Add a spinner and this game has it all. Shots all over the playfield great art work. Kids are wearing mine out. Quarters stack up on this one for plays. For you little leaguers out their that means they line up to play this one. Rules are easy to understand. Game tells you what to shoot for.

Get this game you will keep it.

GrandpaTroy edited previous rating on July 03, 2023.
GrandpaTroy currently owns this game.

7.496/10

1 year ago

MCH

Pinkitten

Pinside+ Pro!

Williamston, MI

6y 136K 3,791 14 88

Fun pin from the late 80’s, second in the trio of carnival pins is better than Comet, in my opinion, with fun ramps, good risk/reward shots and a cool skill shot. I like the carnival theme, so I’m a fan of this group of games. The Where’s Waldo style playfield art by Python is really well done and fits these games well. The cab art is another matter, as pins were just starting to get full detail cab art, not just simple shapes and bland paint jobs of earlier pins. But by 1988, the cab art could have been much more fun. No excuse for Hurricane cab art to be so horrendous by 1991 however. The mystery shot behind the single drop target is fun also, and can be risky. Ferris wheel is a cute, simple mech. This is a decent, challenging pin with some fun ramps and looks like it should be easier than it is, so you want to hit start again and again. Hey, you with the face!

Pinkitten has owned this game in the past.

8.672/10

1 year ago

???

splattii

Pinside member

1y 34,650 228 12

Ending up finding this while picking up another pin and managed to get it for a nice price. Truth be told I wasn't as thrilled as I should have been at the time as (much like Comet) the playfield layout didn't really impress me too much. After getting it home and playing it for a few weeks this has become my favourite machine in my current lineup, something I would never have expected. I understand this gets a small knock for not having multi-ball, but frankly it wouldn't work with this layout and I find multi-ball more of a gimmick on most games as opposed to a nice feature. Yes, in some cases like Fireball it's an incredible feature, but in other games like ARENA I'm not sure it makes sense. In Cyclone's case I'm happy they passed on it. This game has enough variety to keep me entertained, and while I was initially worried that one drop target wouldn't be enough it pops back up often enough that it gives me something to shoot at. My only gripe with this one is the terrible duck sounds. You'd think they could have got those down pat but they suck. I play this one daily and enjoy it. If it was my only pin I might want to move on after a while, but in a lineup of a few pins I can't see myself ever parting with this one. The theme is also good for friends and family

9.053/10

1 year ago

???

LASTSTRFITR

Pinside member

Naperville, IL

4y 33,550 8 11 14

No multiball but this straightforward game has some of the best callouts in all of pinball and some fun toys. It’s a blast to play and reminds me of the old wooden rollercoasters. This is the
Embodiment of cyclone at Coney Island. Great machine.

LASTSTRFITR edited previous rating on July 24, 2022.
LASTSTRFITR has owned this game in the past.

9.453/10

2 years ago

TCR

Ruenin

Pinside+ Frequent

Cottage Grove, MN

2y 29,650 87 17

I played a decent number of pinballs in my youth, but this one stands out. From the "Hurry, hurry!" and "Hey you, with the face!" call outs, to the Dracula "BLEH!" when the timer runs out on the trick shot for spinning the wheel, I just remember this one more than any other. Great Williams sounds and fun carnival themed music. I love this machine.

Ruenin edited previous rating on September 22, 2021.
Ruenin has this game on the wishlist.

10.000/10

2 years ago

ATL

Calgedy

Pinside+ Frequent

Sebastopol, CA

2y 42,300 181 4 9

Cyclone is one of the best 80's pinball machines made, even without a multi ball feature. I am surprised it is not higher ranked.

Calgedy currently owns this game.

7.724/10

2 years ago

EJH

ehex9

Pinside member

Saint Albans Town, VT

3y 46,650 5 7 179

Great game with the perfect theme. Nancy and Ron in the front seat! Lets ride!!

4.213/10

3 years ago

???

samantha123

Inactive member

Unknown

8y 13,000 16

COmet, Cyclone & Hurricane....never card for these titles...then again I enjoyed ROller Coaster Tycoon. Cyclone is boring...almost to the point of nausea for me. Very repetitive...to be a 250 pound paperweight. Owned for 2 weeks and was a MAJOR pain in the ass trying to sell. Just too goofy for me.

2 Pinsiders flagged this.

8.384/10

3 years ago

PO

pat4race

Inactive member

Unknown

3y 19,000 1 73

Really fun game - rules are straightforward, Ferris wheel and ramps add to the gameplay, and the artwork/theme are great. When you consider this game is now 32 years old, it’s an impressive machine

8.580/10

3 years ago

???

Pindaim01

Pinside apprentice

Heemskerk

3y 15,250 9 11

Great classic real family or party pin with very good sound and lighshows.
Artwork is beautiful with a lot of detail on the pf.
The wheel of fortune in the bg is also a nice gimmick.

Pindaim01 has owned this game in the past.

6.945/10

3 years ago

MHS

shadow51

Pinside member

Gouda

3y 27,500 1 10 15

fun machine to play but seems much older than 1988.
Ronald and Nancy on the backglass are a nice detail.

shadow51 edited previous rating on August 24, 2021.

7.040/10

3 years ago

TKM

Daditude

Pinside Moderator

Rockwall, TX

5y 266K 10,124 23 271

It's a solid game for it's age and price. It probably wouldn't last in a big collection unless it raises a lot of nostalgia for you, however.

Daditude edited previous rating on October 19, 2020.
Daditude has owned this game in the past.

9.053/10

3 years ago

TIZ

Tizza

Pinside member

Melbourne

4y 23,000 15 4 10

Just bought it last week and I have to say it is not easy and really fun. Very fun and easy to mod and has great features that make it hard to get a high score. You drain very easily making it annoying but makes you want to beat the game more and more until you do. Really fun and happy to own one of the best 80s machines

Tizza has owned this game in the past.

8.779/10

3 years ago

???

locksmith

Pinside member

10y 90,300 818 53 1

One of the most Classic games ever built

7.339/10

4 years ago

ECW

Ecw0930

Pinside member

Fredericksburg, VA

4y 69,550 1,017 2 113

Yeah it's cool. Ramps are cool. Ferris wheel is neat gimmick. Shots aren't hard but still gotta hit em.

Pretty good game for its age. And I'm sure mine was not a good example of it.

7.497/10

4 years ago

JNS

TecumsehPlissken

Pinside member

Longwood, FL

9y 115K 2,558 10 103

Some great simple mechs. that are still fun today , Python art package , amusement park theme a decent all around game

8.212/10

4 years ago

ALX

Razze79

Pinside member

Stockholm

4y 23,900 1 4 14

One of the best games from this era. A theme that will last for decades. The cabinets art is amazing and the sounds in the game are truly funny. A really great Williams 11-game.

Razze79 has owned this game in the past.

8.576/10

4 years ago

ROB

robmeans

Inactive member

Marietta, GA

4y 16,750 2 9

Played this game a ton in college with friends at our local bar. Very fun, addictive game play, and a unique layout that perfectly suits the theme. I don't particularly feel that it is lacking by having no multi-ball feature. Not sure that adding multi-ball for multi-balls' sake or having 3 balls triples the fun. Sure, it may seem simple by today's standards, but a great pinball for the era. I still cringe at the sound of those elephants though.

robmeans has this game on the wishlist.

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