Jersey Jack
The Hobbit Pinside Rating
This game received 559 approved Pinsider ratings and currently rates 8.337 /10
The Hobbit
Score breakdown
Score breakdown in the 4 main categories:
Game Design: 7.732
Artwork: 8.926
Sounds/Music: 8.634
Other Aspects: 8.133
Pinside staff rating
This is how we, the very knowledgeable (wink wink) Pinside.com staff & moderators rate this game. 5 of us have rated this game.
Found 317 ratings (with comment) on this game
There are 317 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
Currently showing results page 1 of 13.
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7.339/10
19 days ago
Pittsburgh, PA
Great looking game that has wonderful theme integration, but like many Jersey Jacks, it just isn't that fun ......over time. The rules kill it cause it just seems to multiball heavy. The playfield, although filled with toys under the playfield, is just too barren when the toys aren't out, but when the toys are out, it is just too barren. The games does make you go on a journey, but it just feels like chopping wood over and over and over. I do feel the callouts are great. This one didn't last too long in my collection and I have since moved on. I may play again if I see one in the wild but I don't thnk I'll miss it too much.
8.680/10
53 days ago
In a room of 40 pins I kept going to this one. JJP’s quality just shines. The music, animations and variations on this one are stellar and this feels like you could just keep playing forever. The ramps can get a little old and it f D is feel like a wide open playfield in the middle but is a wide body so that’s ok. I worry about maintenance so I’m not sure if I’d ever want to own one since I lack skills for that department but this will be a go to one if I see it in the wild.
Lyon
5.528/10
4 months ago
I am an enormous Lord of the Rings and an apologist for the uneven Hobbit films, and I was really excited to finally play one of these pins. Before playing this one, I had not been a fan of any Jersey Jack game to date, and about ten plays later I can safely say... this one did not win me over to the JJP world. The playfield is HUGE and EMPTY, outside of the Medieval Madness type enemies that pop up at times. I am not new to pinball, and even I was scratching my head on just what do to to advance or find an interesting mode. I can appreciate how easy multi balls are to get, but I can't help but feeling let down here. It's a damn fancy machine, but I think the pinside hype is a little mistaken on this one.
Oakville, ON
9.300/10
1 year ago
This is a fantastic, beautiful, and unique game that I am very proud to own. I have mine set up to be fast, so there are times I forget it's even a widebody. The theme integration and voice clips are unmatched. Art is stunning and even better in person.
7.295/10
1 year ago
This game was fun to play I literally only played it twice because the games lasted so long. I really do like this game but it is pretty wide open and it’s almost impossible to drain. I’d never have this game at home as my games could last an hour. I like it but they need to make it harder.
Zibatá
6.733/10
1 year ago
I honestly don't understand why people like this one so much. Feels like another floaty, slow, weird JJ with basically nothing fun to shoot at, despite it having a good number of shots. At first getting the main multiball was fun hitting that ramp, but that's about it. All of it wears thin for me pretty quick. The spiders and orcs that pop up from under the playfield are constant and annoying, and that's pretty much the only "interesting" toy or mech. Glad they got Gandalf to do the callouts and the sound and art are in general good to great, but that doesn't make it fun to flip. Neither does the deep rule set - it just means you have to play the game longer to achieve a meaningful goal, which in this case is a bad thing. I get why beginners gravitate towards it, but that doesn't make it a good game. Reminds me of Hook in that way. Thumbs down.
9.660/10
1 year ago
This is truly an underrated pin from JJP. Beautifully integrated with the films and so much to do in this game. As always it’s a beautiful machine and a true joy to play. One you learn the code and how they numerous modes work, the game just gets better and better. If you get a chance, give this one a shot, although I believe this one is meant for the home environment and not so much on location.
9.640/10
1 year ago
Incredibly deep game with amazing sound and effects. The layout could be improved (the symmetry is a bit boring), but other than that it is absolutely a fantastic game to play.
8.624/10
1 year ago
Got a Hobbit last week to replace a hole in my arcade. Impressions after about 30 games - LOVE the theming, integration. Love the art, music, sounds...
Don't love the abundance of almost constant multi balls... Why is jjp obsessed with multi balls? This, gnr, Pirates... They really seem to like games with like over 50% multi balls. In the case of the Hobbit it's almost constant. Sometimes I just get a shot in a mode and boom - a multiball starts. Not even sure why.
Its amazing theming though. Possibly the best movie to pinball theme I've ever seen. I can't think of a better one. If you like the Hobbit movies, multiballs, and overall long games this one is for you. There are I think 37 modes and I'm not sure if that includes the mini wizards like into the fire. There is certainly tons to do and lots to explore. They are very creative with their assets in some of the modes as well, and the game really comes alive at times... I wish I could watch the screen but you guessed it, I have 5 balls going at once so I can't really look up...
I'm glad I got it but I don't think it will last here super long. I already almost beat it (I think?) And it was like a 2 hour game. I think once I beat it due to the length I won't be interested in doing it again.
Don't love the abundance of almost constant multi balls... Why is jjp obsessed with multi balls? This, gnr, Pirates... They really seem to like games with like over 50% multi balls. In the case of the Hobbit it's almost constant. Sometimes I just get a shot in a mode and boom - a multiball starts. Not even sure why.
Its amazing theming though. Possibly the best movie to pinball theme I've ever seen. I can't think of a better one. If you like the Hobbit movies, multiballs, and overall long games this one is for you. There are I think 37 modes and I'm not sure if that includes the mini wizards like into the fire. There is certainly tons to do and lots to explore. They are very creative with their assets in some of the modes as well, and the game really comes alive at times... I wish I could watch the screen but you guessed it, I have 5 balls going at once so I can't really look up...
I'm glad I got it but I don't think it will last here super long. I already almost beat it (I think?) And it was like a 2 hour game. I think once I beat it due to the length I won't be interested in doing it again.
8.020/10
1 year ago
A gorgeous game to look at, like most JJPs. I’ve played the Ring and Smaug versions; found Smaug more fun to play. Can’t really speak to theme because I never saw the movies. (I lost interest when I heard it was being turned into a trilogy; felt like three movies would ruin the pace.) Frustrating when you can’t get the ball under control, but a blast when you get into a groove.
8.872/10
1 year ago
London
Played twice at The Pinball Office in the UK in a line up including other JJPs, Spooky and American Pinball pins.
It was obvious there’s a lot of rules depth here, and the presentation of the pin (i.e. film clips, playfield, lighting and Smaug toy) are gorgeous.
However, I also found it desperately confusing and not especially accessible on a walk-up-and-play basis. There were lots of instructions in tiny lettering at the edges of the huge LCD screen, which were hard to read while playing, most of the insert lights were lit, and the game I played didn’t have an apron rules card either. I didn’t score particularly high because I was mostly reacting to stuff popping up on the playfield, and trying to lock balls in Smaug.
It was probably my second favourite out of the JJPs I played (Dialed In, G n’ R, WOZ and The Hobbit), and I’d be happy to explore it in more depth, but I wasn’t totally wowed by it.
UPDATE: Played again at The Pinball Office. I got some stuff going, e.g. monsters, modes and multiball. It seemed pretty fun with a lot of depth, although I still didn’t understand the rules.
UPDATE: Played again, for quite a while, at The Pinball Office, having watched a playthrough on Youtube. It delivers on the advertised experience of a deep, absorbing adventure game. Some interesting mini-modes, including one of knocking down drop targets going up and down individually. All the modes work better with more balls flying around, due to the wide-open playfield, and getting the multiball is dead easy, so this is a multiball-heavy gameplay experience. Games are long, floaty and forgiving.
Worryingly, I got to Into the Fire, a final mini-Wizard mode, after a handful of games, and am no pinball wizard, so - despite the purported complex rules - your mileage may vary. After that game, I had minor RSI and had been concentrating so hard I’d no immediate desire to play again.
It was obvious there’s a lot of rules depth here, and the presentation of the pin (i.e. film clips, playfield, lighting and Smaug toy) are gorgeous.
However, I also found it desperately confusing and not especially accessible on a walk-up-and-play basis. There were lots of instructions in tiny lettering at the edges of the huge LCD screen, which were hard to read while playing, most of the insert lights were lit, and the game I played didn’t have an apron rules card either. I didn’t score particularly high because I was mostly reacting to stuff popping up on the playfield, and trying to lock balls in Smaug.
It was probably my second favourite out of the JJPs I played (Dialed In, G n’ R, WOZ and The Hobbit), and I’d be happy to explore it in more depth, but I wasn’t totally wowed by it.
UPDATE: Played again at The Pinball Office. I got some stuff going, e.g. monsters, modes and multiball. It seemed pretty fun with a lot of depth, although I still didn’t understand the rules.
UPDATE: Played again, for quite a while, at The Pinball Office, having watched a playthrough on Youtube. It delivers on the advertised experience of a deep, absorbing adventure game. Some interesting mini-modes, including one of knocking down drop targets going up and down individually. All the modes work better with more balls flying around, due to the wide-open playfield, and getting the multiball is dead easy, so this is a multiball-heavy gameplay experience. Games are long, floaty and forgiving.
Worryingly, I got to Into the Fire, a final mini-Wizard mode, after a handful of games, and am no pinball wizard, so - despite the purported complex rules - your mileage may vary. After that game, I had minor RSI and had been concentrating so hard I’d no immediate desire to play again.
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