Data East

Jurassic Park

Pinside Rating

This game received 465 approved Pinsider ratings and currently rates 7.890 _/10

7.89

Top 100 ranking

This game ranks #103 in the Pinside Pinball Top 100.

Score breakdown

Score breakdown in the 4 main categories:

Game Design: 7.96

Artwork: 7.634

Sounds/Music: 7.42

Other Aspects: 8.172

Pinside staff rating

This is how we, the very knowledgeable (wink wink) Pinside.com staff & moderators rate this game. 7 of us have rated this game.

8.012

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Found 253 ratings (with comment) on this game

There are 253 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
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8.126/10

71 days ago

???

locksmith

Pinside member

10y 90,300 818 53 1

Good looking game that is just fun to play. The kids love it.

locksmith edited previous rating on February 15, 2024.

4 Pinsiders starred this!

8.912/10

5 months ago

UWU

Great pin with a stunning backglass and fun gimmicks like the ball-eating T-Rex, sure its only cool the first few times and slows the game down a little but its still cool (plus, you can turn it off). The only nit-pick i have with this game is the playfield art (i just personally dont like Markus Rothkranz' artsyle that much). The sound quality isin't that good, but hey, Data East games are known for that. It has the layout of Whirlwind and rules like Addams Family which i personally like!

Thegamerskunk edited previous rating on February 22, 2024.
Thegamerskunk currently owns this game.

6.063/10

6 months ago

HEK

Heppo1

Pinside apprentice

Kongsberg

1y 16,900 1 4 20

This game becomes boring very quick for me. The backglass actually pops.... (From a distance). Other than that it is not much I like. The T-Rex eating the ball is fun the first 5 times, after that it just takes to long. It can be disabled, but then the game has next to nothing.

8.900/10

6 months ago

JCC

Jesse-is-great

Pinside member

Tallahassee, FL

<1y 40,800 120 3 30

I like the T-Rex head that eats the ball and I like cracking the egg at the captive ball. I think they had it at pinball palace.

8.376/10

6 months ago

DRD

DrDrain

Pinside member

9y 42,900 57 159

Jurassic Park is my favorite Data East game.

The layout is a classic John Borg design and it's one of his best ones. Every shot is not clunky and feels very nice to make. I especially like the kickback which I consider to be one of the best in all of pinball and the T-Rex mechanism. The gameplay is not very much on the flow side maybe partly due to only having one ramp but it's still very nice to play.

The ruleset is a bit average nowadays but compared to other games from this time period it's pretty good. Especially the T-Rex's eating the ball and the Tri-Ball are fun features I love to come back to this game for.

Arguably this game's biggest flaw is the sound quality (just like all Data East and Sega games). But once you get used to the sound it doesn't bother you anymore. just like with Whitestar games such as Lord of the Rings. And I think this game's sounds are actually less disrupting than on some other games (e. g. Twilight Zone, in my opinion).

The artwork is very good and fits in with the Jurassic Park theme. I especially love the looks of the backglass and the playfield. The DMD animations are very good but I think you can quite clearly see they were made in the beginning of the DMD era (I wish DMDs would have stuck around longer, those animations were true art!).

All in all this is a Data East classic and a truly entertaining game. Everybody who likes Jurassic Park will appreciate this machine once one gets used to the sound. This is an underrated game in my opinion.

4 Pinsiders starred this!

8.476/10

7 months ago

JED

Slimpin

Pinside member

Stanwood, WA

<1y 26,900 5 5 34

In love!!!

Slimpin edited previous rating on April 03, 2024.

7.942/10

7 months ago

ACE

wingnut707

Pinside member

10y 32,900 5 2 39

It’s good! One of DE’s best, which unfortunately is not saying much as they did make some seriously mid games.

The shots are smooth and satisfying for the most part but some modes are very unbalanced (ahem…300M multiball?) and the game itself is kinda clunky, as per most Data East machines. If your T-rex isn’t working, you won’t get as much amusement. That said, I love finding one in the wild and playing it.

I like that each mode has its own music, and some of those tunes happen to be BATSHIT CRAZY and frenetic. Seriously, just listen to the electric fence tune, the victory lap tune, or Super Egg Mania and try not to get an aneurysm. The sounds and callouts, however, suffer from the same issue a lot of DE machines do: they’re very repetitive and tinny.

I probably wouldn’t own this game, and its 2019 successor is WAY better, but it’s solid and I legitimately enjoy playing it whenever I can. Only surpassed by Tales from the Crypt and Guns n’ Roses.

8.761/10

7 months ago

VEE

Veemonroe

Pinside member

London

2y 55,550 205 7 176

Played several times at Joysticks Pinball Bar in Prague.

Probably Data East’s best pin (that I’ve played), Data East Jurassic Park is a worthy forerunner to Stern’s epic JP2. It has some great flowy shots, including the dinosaur shot from the upper flipper, the boat shot, park ramp, and the orbit up through the pop bumpers.

Rules-wise, the focus is on multiball for intermediate players, with a challenging start to ‘tri-ball’ requiring a variety of shots to start the multiball and then score jackpots. Apparently, the dinosaur eats the ball, but it seemed to be broken on the Jurassic Park that I played. Unlike other Data East pins I’ve played, the ‘System Failure’ modes were varied and often interesting, requiring different timed shots and hurry-ups.

I really enjoyed this pin and would like to try one again with the dinosaur working. That said, I (obviously) prefer Elwin’s later JP2, which feels like very much of a love letter to this excellent title.

6.725/10

10 months ago

CRB

Crabspirits

Pinside member

Plainfield, IL

<1y 20,050 11 1 10

One of the best Data East, but that's not saying much. The artwork, build, and sound quality are just awful. I've seen worse from Stern in the past decade though. I'll say this is one of the best pins to own and entertain non-pinball guests. Keep all your dinos maintained, and it's fast and fun. Very rewarding for kids to mid-level players.

Crabspirits has owned this game in the past.

7.295/10

11 months ago

JLG

GhostKingG21

Pinside+ Frequent

1y 30,900 15 2 39

This game is showing its age.
amazing theme,
iconic mech
but its just not keeping pace with whats out here now.

7.271/10

1 year ago

BUZ

Buzzerz

Pinside apprentice

Bredared

1y 11,750 3 16

Had this in my collection and the machine is something you notice. The art of the box and translite is great, in my opinion the backglass is better than JP Pro from Stern. The T-Rex eating the ball is such a fun toy in the game. But overall there are not that many shots that makes it stand out, it also feels quiet “bonky” when playing. I had tons of additional mods on mine, like gate in not only plastics, and nice door openings when in mode. But out of the box I would say it is ok. Gameplay is queit straight forward which is good. Good game but had mine for 2 years and then traded for WCS94.

Buzzerz has owned this game in the past.

8.756/10

1 year ago

MCK

System-J

5y 57,800 335 8

This was my first dmd and I expected to fix and flip it. I didn't have the highest opinion of the game but a friend had one and it seems like a keeper for him. But he also likes the theme much more than I--although, really, dinosaurs in general are always pretty great. I also knew that the code was deep enough that it could keep me interested for a least a year.
After fixing it up I really started to enjoy it and understand how creative a lot of the code is. One of the best MB sequences of all time. With it all starting with one of the greatest toys ever as well, it's quite the 1-2 punch.
The chaos mb ( the third phase of the trex mb) and the system failure are both great peek moments to the game and almost feel like 2 separate wizard modes. Both are very lucrative so it feels like there is multiple strategies to getting a good score.
The modes are quite numerous and some are super clever. Especially escape and system boot (edit: meant to say raptor rampge). And the feed trex is really well done with one of the best shaker motor effects ever done in pinball.
The trex shot though can be a bit frustrating. There's always a touch of luck to it, imo. (Edit: after rebuilding the flippers I lowered the game to (Closer to) 6.5 and the trex shot is much cleaner and stays in the kickout more often). The ramp too is harder than it feels it should be--but that's also what makes it so satisfying in MB to lite chaos (Edit: It's easier with rebuilt flippers (this seems obvious, but the DE flippers can feel strong even when they need a rebuild, if you're having troubles with the ramp, rebuild the flippers--I was disappointed though that after rebuilding them I still couldn't backhand the ramp (not even close) and lost the ability to backhand the top right scoop). The pops can be a bit harsh too, but that's just pinball. My biggest gripe with the game though is the lighting: There is a lot of strobing effects, including all of the GI strobing at time. It's harsh, especially with LED's and can put any new game to shame in this respect (I hear a lot of people complain about harsh lighting effects in new games.)

I also ended up putting a pinsound in this which really brought the theme alive. The DE sound boards always had a bit of a tinny sound. JP is one of the better ones but it still is greatly enhanced with the original score and audio clips.
The art is great imo. Especially the BG and most of the dinosaurs. The cab is a little generic with the giant logo but I think it makes up for it with the tropical silhouettes. The PF is ok except some of the laughable drawing like whatever those are at the end of Denis's arms. But it's so bad that it's comical and doesn't actually bother me for some reason. The other art like the giant trex on the BG make up for it.
Anyways, I've had this for a few years now and although some of my newer pins gets more play, I still quite enjoy it often even get obsessed with it for short stints. One of DE's best.
I know this gets pegged as a 'poor man's Adam's' but I think the code is actually deeper than Adam's. I'm not saying that it's better than Adam's (and Adam's always brings back more arcade nostalgia for me), but JP is much more of a worthy adversary then players give it credit for.
Note: I have the newest custom roms. I'm also rating the code based on the age and the influence it seemed to have on future pins. It really is quite clever and worth looking deeper into if you're interested in the history of pinball code.

System-J edited previous rating on October 17, 2022.

2 Pinsiders starred this!

8.130/10

1 year ago

CSF

JurassicPark

Pinside member

Springfield, VT

2y 27,300 33 3 46

This game is lacking in art but rich in nostalgia. Super fun game over all. The Art is Laughable at times but with a pinsound upgrade this is a great Game!

JurassicPark edited previous rating on September 26, 2023.

7.745/10

1 year ago

BYC

Sooperzero

Inactive member

Fremantle

2y 17,000 1 2 8

When rating games which are a little older, you have to remember these games were potentially groundbreaking for their time. Having the T-Rex swallow the ball was completely amazing for a Pinball of the time! The theme of this table has carried through quite well. The table artwork is a bit patchy and blotchy... But it's fun. The cabinet artwork is quite minimal/basic, but what more would you want? A giant Jurassic Park logo speaks for itself! You know what to expect inside the box! The callouts and sound can be a bit repetitive, and the game code should be upgraded to V6 (unofficial) to help make the game modes more random as well as more generous ball saves ( especially for the raptor sling). I'd say the game can be a little repetitive and I found the game modes hard to start ( but maybe I'm just not a great pinball player?) Overall, I wouldn't want this as my only table, but it's fun to play from time to time.

Sooperzero has owned this game in the past.

7.513/10

1 year ago

B16

Billy16

Pinside member

11y 94,300 3,701 58

Finally got to play this pin and was surprised by how much I liked it. I'm not a big JP fan, but this pin looked nice, was well layed out and was fun to play. One of DE's best efforts--top three of their games.

7.499/10

2 years ago

???

bmikhd

Inactive member

Unknown

2y 1,000 9

In my opinion too easy to play, keep getting free games...

6.982/10

2 years ago

DSG

dravenscott

Pinside member

Hazard, KY

3y 27,400 9 15 8

The only DE currently in my lineup. Got a feeling it'll stay that way, too. Fantastic game. Despite the poor timing on the skill shot, it's a welcome and creative inclusion. Tons of standup targets to activate tri-ball. LOTS of modes available on the CRT screens, with beautiful dmd animations for each. Not a fast game, especially when hampered by the t-rex that eats the ball (slow as he is, it's still one of my favorite playfield toys). The smart missile is my favorite feature. Activating the button at any time during gameplay picks up anything lit on the playfield, adding strategy and replayability to an already captivating experience. the voices came callouts are top notch, but the games music could use some variety. The artwork package isnt the best, but it is serviceable. It can be a challenge to get the ball up the ramp due to pitch, but it never feels cheap when you miss. The same can be said for almost every other shot. The satisfying crack when you hit the captive ball (egg) never disappoints. The raptor pit, however, can be a nuisance. Luckily the game is generous on ball saves when it rockets back to your flipper and causes a drain. Scoop shots are fair, which is nice, considering how many there are to hit and how often you're required to do so. Stacking modes is a plus. The games code and ruleset is top notch, and theres plenty to do to keep ypu coming back for more. The theme is an instant hit with children and adults alike, and should easily earn a place in your lineup. Even with excellent competition from the newer Stern JP releases, once you play this machine you realize theres no school like the old school. How well this game has held up and remains popular given the plethora of JP titles available is a testament to its excellent design. Highly recommend.

dravenscott has owned this game in the past.

2 Pinsiders starred this!

9.380/10

2 years ago

CCZ

Conrad

Pinside+ Frequent

Milwaukee, WI

5y 51,300 140 18 29

It's a fun filled themed game. After all who doesn't like Jurassic Park? I feel the original movie was the best out of the series still after all these years. The game flows well. It has ramps, drop holes and a t-rex who eats your ball. Fun toy! The game is easy for beginners and good enough for advanced players to keep us all occupied. The only thing I don't care for is the shaker motor in it. But that could be changed out as it seems wonky and not as nice as some of the newer machines. I am playing one with Pinsound board installed and new speakers/sub. So the complaints on sound has been modified for the brtter from what I read, cant talk about the original sound. Overall it's a solid pin

Conrad has owned this game in the past.

7.442/10

2 years ago

JMH

jmhewitt

Pinside member

5y 35,900 15 11 14

The raptor shot is punishing. the T-rex toy is still fun after all these years. The rules seem simpler compared to Tommy or other games in the time period.

jmhewitt has owned this game in the past.

7.172/10

2 years ago

TSE

thetylander

Pinside member

9y 54,800 56 10 50

I don’t like being negative about a game, but the letdown on Jurassic park is the sound.
You have a John Williams (hee hee shoulda been made by that company) classic soundtrack that’s been digitized and has a bunch of staticky noises and vocal callouts over it, drowning out the music. Overall it’s a really noisy game and, hate to say it, repetitive.
The playfield is good, as is the movie themed artwork. Jurassic Park was Speilberg’s Star Wars, a merchandising cash cow. The market was flooded with licensed merchandise well before the film was even out in theaters. By the time I got around to playing the pinball I was Jurassic Parked out, mostly thanks to the Sega Genesis game. The theme works with the licensed product but probably not as well as I anticipated. What did I expect, a velociraptor with a magnet in his mouth that bends over as the ball goes by and randomly snatches it and flings it down an out hole??? Yeah, kinda.
Regardless, this is a pretty good movie themed game, but not great. At the time I thought Sega (Data East) were struggling for ideas and were relying on huge licensing deals alone to sell their mediocre games.
Playing it in later years, I mellowed towards the licensed product and enjoyed it for its pinballiness.
Many shots are smooth as butter, the challenges and difficulty levels are tough but not impossible, the playfield is well laid out once you study it.
I could come up with a million ways to improve it, which is something that rarely happens. When I play a pinball, I may say that the spinner doesn’t spin enough or the upper playfield flippers are too short. This one has a lot of things I would change or add if I worked on it back in the day… and I don’t mean more shirtless Jeff Goldbloom on the DMD!!!
Just an example, famous scene from the movie - the puddle shaking as the t-Rex approaches. How about a magnet capture, the GI turns off then light pulses on and off and the magnet shakes the ball as the T-rex foot thumps come closer. Lights go out, roar is heard with t-rex on DMD, and multiball starts with GI lights flashing! Yeah!
Okay probably not practical but you get the idea.
A fun game but, you know, it coulda been great!

8.856/10

2 years ago

JIM

somenerd

Pinside+ Frequent

4y 47,400 106 2 6

Grew up playing this pin in the arcade every chance I could, and now almost 30 years later, I finally have this game in my home lineup! Now that I've had it in-home for a couple months, how has my opinion of the game held up?
JP (the film) is probably one of my top 3 movies of all time, and thankfully this pin does the theme justice. A lot of iconic voice clips ("Aah-aah-aaaah, you didn't say the magic word!" "IAN, FREEZE!", etc etc) pepper up the gameplay. The modes (while maybe not super plentiful compared to some others of the era) are fun and frantic. The Raptor pit BLASTING your ball back at you is always good for a surprise jolt. The T-Rex eating the ball paired with the "OH NO NO AAAH GAAAAHHHH!!" and poor little Timmy's face as he's getting zapped by the electric fence gives me a bit of a chuckle (I'm terrible, I know). CHAOS Multiball lives up to its name, with all six balls flying around at once.
Now, the dings- scoring (at least in the romset v.3.0 I've got) is pretty uneven, and skews *heavily* towards completing CHAOS mode and feeding the T-Rex for the super jackpot. End-of-ball bonus maxes out at a paltry 2 million without any multipliers. Successfully completing most modes will net between 15-30 million, but hitting the super jackpot rewards 150-200 million. If you want to make the top six, scoring this is absolutely required. Additionally, the modes *always* start with STAMPEDE, which is getting a little annoying. I know later romsets will remedy these though- perhaps I'll end up upgrading before too much longer.
Overall though, my love for this game hasn't faltered in the last couple months and I've got zero buyer's remorse. Looking forward to enjoying this game in my lineup (along with my Paragon) for a long time to come.

somenerd currently owns this game.

7.772/10

2 years ago

DOH

awesome1

Pinside+ Frequent

7y 105K 2,294 7

Theme integration is excellent and everyone loves the ball eating T-Rex!
Get's a bit repetitive compared to modern games, but a true classic!

7.526/10

2 years ago

JBG

MacGruber

Pinside member

Kiel, WI

2y 76,300 1,103 8 22

My first love and it lasted almost 6 years in my collection. The only reason it's gone is that I could no longer deny the attraction to Elwin's masterpiece. Highly recommended!

MacGruber has owned this game in the past.

7.559/10

2 years ago

EJH

ehex9

Pinside member

Saint Albans Town, VT

3y 46,650 5 7 179

Jurassic is one of the best Data East pins. Perfect theme and the awesome ball eating T-Rex.

9.154/10

2 years ago

AJS

altan

Skillshot Combo

19y 107K 2,348 20 1

Fast!
Dino eats ball!
Smart missle
Great theme integration
Great callouts (w/original actors)
Fun modes (and option to use the ROM that makes them random)
Backglass looks great, playfield art grows on you
Dino eats ball!
Dino eats ball!

it's a blast and one of the favorites for non-pinball people

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There are 253 ratings (that include a comment) on this game. Currently showing results page 1 of 11.

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