HeyItsMeDusty's ratings

Don't listen to anyone who says the features on JP Prem/LE "absolutely blow away the Pro". They are talking about a moving dinosaur head and a physical lock gate for the raptor pen. It's really not a huge difference, especially when it comes to how the game plays. The shots are the same, the rules are the same, and both have fantastic flow.

I own a Jurassic Park machine, and I don't think I'll ever sell it. The replayability of this machine is off the charts, so it's an incredibly good choice for home ownership. I have heard it's also a consistent earner on location, which doesn't surprise me as the Jurassic Park theme is so beloved as a mantlepiece of pop culture. And while Stern wasn't able to license any of the characters other than Nedry (I mean, they COULD have, but it would have been reflected in the price), they still brought the theme to life in a very satisfying way that feels true to the movies.

You can tell this game was designed by arguably the best pinball player in the world. As you advance in player maturity, you start to really appreciate different aspects of a game like shot-to-shot flow, having shots of varying difficulty, and the ability to pursue different strategies to either go after big scores or just to explore objectives in the game. Jurassic park does all of these things exceedingly well, and it's why it's so fun to play over and over again.

Another reason I love the game is how well the shots are incorporated into the modes. It makes it easy to explain to new players how you're not just bashing the ball around, but rather you are RESCUING stranded park staff while green dinosaurs are roving the playfield, how you need to set a trap and then go grab the dinosaur. Jurassic Park takes the abstract concept of shot objectives, and packs a narrative in front of them to make the whole thing easier to digest for new players. Genius.

I have owned this machine in my home for over a year, I still play it like crazy, and I still find myself pumping money into the ones I find on location. Many pinball people consider it one of the best pinball machines ever made, and I must say I agree.

The music! Monte Carlo has that very cool 80's synth sound this era of Gottliebs is known for; drum pad breakdowns, funky background grooves, the whole deal. It's definitely up there with TX-Sector and Robo War, and I consider it a game-maker. The music changes after each locked ball, which I think really adds to the game. Absolutely love it.

This could never be a tournament game. There's too much random variation in scoring with the roulette wheel and randomly-flashing 10M point shot. But hey, it's a GAMBLING theme, so that randomness is absolutely in line with that, and it's what makes the game fun.

The basics: your bonus is the "betting pool" which is increased by various shots (Schatz'ing the left and right standups, hitting the right ramp) and each time you complete a drop target bank. This bonus betting pool is also how much you can win when you spin the roulette wheel in the middle of the playfield by putting your ball in the flashing lock shot. Hitting the lit drop targets also locks those numbers in (like putting chips on those numbers) for the roulette wheel spin, giving you more opportunities to win your betting pool. It's a simple but fun concept.

The 10 million point shot will become available at the right ramp at random times, for 5 seconds. And it's really the ONLY shot that counts, as you'll basically NEVER get to 10 million points without that shot, period. I really like this feature because it combines randomness with skill, and you'll probably only get one shot at the ramp in those 5 seconds, if at all. Again, it's a gambling game!

The backglass is as cheesy as the other photograph style backglasses of this era from Gottlieb. Not as bad as Genesis, and slightly less silly than Diamond Lady. The photo looks like it would be used on a playbill for an amateur theater production. Silly, but fine!

Overall this is a cool game that you don't see often on location, and you'll likely never see in a tournament. The music alone is worth your quarters.

You can't talk about Time Warp without talking about the banana flippers! They're a total novelty, and they don't really do anything other than make aiming your shots harder, but once you get the hang of them they add a really fun element to the game. With both flippers engaged, you can see from the space between the flippers that they allow for serious save-ability.

Time Warp is all about the bonus. Once you get a nice bonus built up, you can start collecting it over and over at the saucer via the gated right-lane shot, which is NOT an easy shot with those banana flippers. You can also sneak in through the eject path, but that's more of a random occurrence from the pop bumpers.

The artwork by Constantino and Jeanine Mitchell is oddball gonzo to the max. You've got wizards, dinosaurs, astronauts, cave men, Egyptians, really just anything and everything, and it's awesome. I'd love to know who the original model was for the warlock in the center of the playfield. The art has some serious psychedelic vibes that bring to mind The Doors, Vanilla Fudge, incense, peppermints, lava lamps in smoky rooms, all that cool stuff.

I love this game. It's really weird in every way, and I think it's totally charming. I get that it won't be everyone's cup of tea, but it's far enough out from the mainstream without being annoying that I enjoy the heck out of it.