Well.....I'm down to choosing my final two machines for this countdown and I have to say, this was the hardest decision I had to make so far.  After considering several factors, I ultimately decided to put Cactus Canyon in the #2 spot, though it could have easily been listed at #1.  To be honest, it even holds the top spot on my Pinside rankings page, but the criteria Pinside uses doesn't take into consideration the three factors that kept this machine out from the top of the podium for this Top 10: affordability, availability, and nostalgia (these factors will be more clear when I post my #1 machine). Rather than knock Cactus Canyon, it is in the #2 spot, which is equally impressive, I'd prefer to spend my time praising it.





Cactus Canyon was the last "true pinball machine" made by Bally/Williams in 1998 before they started their desperate Pinball2000 line, which included their final machines, Star Wars: Episode I & Revenge From Mars. In an attempt to get out their new line, production of Cactus Canyon was cut short and therefore, only 903 units are known to exist worldwide (a very small number in the world of pinball when you consider that 21,270 Addams Family machines were released). The rarity of Cactus Canyon has severely driven up it's value in recent years (hard to find one under $10k....) and the majority of them are now in private collections. I have been lucky enough to play one on location at Flippers in Grandy, NC (shamless plug) and I suggest that if you are anywhere near the northern beaches of NC or SE Virginia, you make the trip to check this game out (they have 50 machines on the floor at a time, including the ultra rare, Big Bang Bar), this place is a pinball player's paradise. But I digress, on with the show.....

The things I love most about Cactus Canyon are the toys, call-outs, and the music. There are four "Bad Guy" drop target trolls that spring out of the middle of the playfield during the Quick Draw and Gun Fight features, there is a moving train that chugs across the top of the playfield, there are several "pop up" features including a "Bart" head with hat and a can, and there is a mine shaft entrance that moves up and down.  The call-outs on this game are really funny and light-hearted and really help make the game more enjoyable for people of all ages.  While lighting the lock, you might hear a slurring, drunken voice announce, "Lock is lit........and so am I!" The music is fun and appropriately fits with the theme; it's sort of a mixture of some of the great TV westerns of the 60's. If you listen closely, you'll hear the familiar sounds of Gunsmoke and Wild Wild West.....if you're old enough to remember these shows as well as I do.


Cactus Canyon is an original theme and is set in the Wild West. As the player, you take on the role of a new lawman who has come into town to rid it of a gang of thugs known as the "Bart Brothers" and work your way toward the showdown at "High Noon."  The ultimate goal ("wizard mode," if you will) is to accomplish the mode called High Noon. High Noon begins after completing 5 tasks, each of which are represented by the 5 points of the badge on the playfield. These tasks include completing the following: 1. cash in Mother Lode, 2. stating Showdown Multiball, 3. completing 10 Combos, 4. activating Stampede Multiball, and 5. defeating the Bart Brothers.

#1 - Gold Mine Multiball/Mother Lode

To lock balls for Gold Mine Multiball, you light the lock by shooting the mine shaft and shoot the mine shaft again to lock your ball.  For the first Gold Mine Multiball, you do not have to relight the lock for each ball; however, after your first round of multiball, you will have to light the lock for each ball. Once 3 balls are locked, Gold Mine Multiball begins.  While in this mode, shoot one of the 3 ramps to earn the jackpot. Earning the jackpot lights Mother Lode, which can be scored by shooting the mine shaft.

#2 - Showdown Multiball

Showdown Multiball begins when all 4 bad guys have been shot in Quick Draw mode. There are five different Quick Draw lights located: diagonally right of the right gun, diagonally left of the left gun, to the left of the Bronco Loop, to the right of the Bank Robbery Ramp, and below the Quick Draw light next to the Bank Robbery Ramp. Quick Draw can be by the Bounty Award, by the Lasso Skill Shot, or by the upright targets on either side of the center of the playfield. Quick Draw is triggered by the in-lanes and when it starts you have to shoot the Bad Guy drop target that pops up on the middle of the playfield as soon as possible. Once all 4 bad guys are dispatched, Showdown Multiball begins!


#3 - Combo

After shooting a ramp, other ramps will light. Quickly shooting one of these lit ramps counts as a combo.  Once you have earned 10 combos, this goal toward High Noon lights on your badge as completed.

#4 - Stampede Multi-Ball

When the Bronco Loop, River Adventure Ramp, Train Ramp, Trick Shooting Loop, and Bank Robbery Ramp have been completed (about 3-4 shots to each), Stampede begins. During the Stampede all 3 ramps and both loops are lit for jackpot. Beginning Stampede Multiball lights another section of the badge for High Noon.
the five ranks is right above the High Noon

#5 - The Bart Brothers

The Bart Brothers are located in the upper right, between the Train Ramp, and the Trick Shooting Loop. Shoot the jump ramp into the face of the Bart Brothers to attack or sneak a weak shot in from behind on the loops. The Bart Brothers are: Big Bart, Bandelero, and Bubba Bart. Defeat all 3 Bart Brothers to light the badge and get another step closer to High Noon.


HIGH NOON

After completeing the badge, High Noon is lit. A shot to the Gold Mine activates this mode. At this time, all of the balls are kicked into play, and will be returned for the duration (30 secs.) of this mode if lost. All of the Bad Guy targets pop up and all of the Jackpots are lit at this time. If you shoot 20 Bad Guy targets during High Noon, you complete the mode and earn 20 Million Points!  One additional second will be added to the timer in this mode for every Bad Guy target hit during the game.

Rank is another important feature of this game and a must for scoring maximum points.  The ranks, in progressive order, include: Stranger, Partner, Deputy, Sheriff, and Marshall. You can increase your rank through one of the following three ways: scoring the Bounty Award, through the Lasso Skill Shot, or by winning a Gun Fight. Your rank affects your score in Quick Draw and High Noon; the higher your rank, the more points you score (think of it as a multiplier).

Cactus Canyon is a fun and fairly deep game that has lots of great features.  My only real knock on the game is that it suffers from availability. They are very hard to come by and when you do, it is typically as a highly-prized machine in a collection. It's a shame that this machine is not more readily available, but the good news is that last month this table was released on Pinball Arcade.  If you have the cash and are looking for a great pin, this might be the one for you, but for those of us with shallower pockets, the Pinball Arcade port is pretty fantastic and worth the cost of download.

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