KingVidiot's ratings

pre-ordered a premium immediately after the reveal, because like Godzilla, it was instantly clear to me what a unique and creative machine Jaws is.

I’ve owned Jurassic Park and currently also own a Godzilla.

I sold Jurassic Park recently, because theme-wise, while I’m more of a Jurassic Park fan, Jaws is simply executed better.

From the soundtrack to callouts to music to shots to rules, Jaws is just way more fun than Jurassic Park.

Is it better than Godzilla? If 0.87 code is any indication, it absolutely could be, but it’s difficult to say at this moment. Overall, my instinct is to say “no”. Godzilla is just such a perfect game, and Jaws has a few key flaws.

The shot to the reel spinner on the right is marred by airballs. Whether that’s the cause of flex in the chumline plastic or the spinner’s post protector rail, I’m not certain, but I am certain this flaw cannot be fixed with code. Stern will either need to fix this problem or owners will need mods, but no matter how you slice it, it’s an unfortunate oversight in an otherwise sublime layout.

I debated docking a point for layout, but even with this glaring problem, it’s still better than most layouts. Is it better than Godzilla’s layout? It’s not a difficult argument to be made, as there are just so many satisfying and creative shots. Some people say the upper playfield doesn’t add much because it’s difficult to shoot and achieve… are wizard modes also not adding value? It’s nice to have some difficult, rarely accessed shots, because when you rip that reel spinner or loop on the upper playfield, you feel like a god.

I’ll die on the hill that the 180 wave ramp path to the upper playfield, to the 180 tower ramp shot, to the 180 wire form, to the 180 left orbit spinner might be the most satisfying sequence of shots in the history of pinball. I feel sorry for those who can’t experience the adrenaline high of making that shot. Travis Murie (11th in the world last year) recently talked about making that shot for the first time and immediately stopping his game to call someone about how amazing it is.

But pretty much everything about this game is incredible:

Code is outstanding especially for 0.87

Art is minimal, and nearly theme-perfect. As someone who currently owns 5 Zombie Yeti games and considers him to be THE best pinball artist of all time, it’s kinda nice to a have a more paired back playfield. The theme is water, and a lot of the art is water…. What do you expect? Elaborate murals depicting sharks eating pinballs?

Video assets are Stern’s best-to-date by far. The sheer amount of end-of-ball clips is brilliant, and makes you wonder why it hasn’t been done before.

The upper right flipper’s ability to trap and lock balls during multi ball is just another flash of brilliance on a game that is absolutely shining with unique, fun, original ideas.

The video mode is the best video mode in any pinball machine I’ve ever played.

Between the iconic Jaws theme and other John Williams score pieces, it can sound a little same, but it’s a lot better than I would have thought. The celebration music after reeling in a shark is exactly the kind of light and fun moments that make this game great and put a smile on my face.

The game has a lot more heart and humor than I was expecting, just like Godzilla.

We already have Godzilla, I don’t want another. We got the perfect game to eat a ball - the trex on Jurassic park, I don’t want another.

When you open yourself to the originality and brilliance of Jaws, you’ll realize another future classic is right in front of you.

Lots of people on pinside like to dog this game because “fAn LaYoUt”. Funny, Medieval Madness, Attack From Mars, Deadpool, and Elvira would like a word (or 3 in the case of Elvira’s excellent games). Literally half the top 2D games are fan layouts, sooo…

But the code is where this game truly shines. It’s a paradigm shift in pinball that people will look back on and say “this was the start of machines that saved your progress”. Well, technically it was TMNT, but that was added after insider connected became a thing. Venom was clearly designed with insider from the ground up.

I love getting a great score in pinball as much as the next person, but I can’t tell you how much I don’t care about score in most video games. And that’s because video games have mostly matured past the idea that score is the only thing to mark a player’s achievements in a game.

Progression, goals, speed runs, story, achievements, etc. these are all thing that I’m rooting for pinball to explore more fully.

I get it, it won’t be for everyone. But as someone who absolutely loves video games and sees the potential for pinball software to borrow so many great ideas from that medium, Venom is absolutely one of my favorite games of all time, in terms of code.

Layout is great, but I will have to knock off a couple of points due to some finicky aspects. It just feels a little early-access sometimes in terms of shots that don’t register or balls flying off railings and elements that need tweaking out the box. Stern will be sending fixes for the center ramp, and if that was the only issue, I’d bump it back up to 5/6.

But aside from some issues, it’s a fantastic layout that gels with the code perfectly.

The fast locks and the speed of this game is unmatched. Now that I’m thinking about it some more, I have to forgive Brian Eddy for a few “glitchy” shots in this game, because he’s obviously trying to break new ground in terms of speed. There’s really nothing else quite like it. Playing Foo Fighters after jamming on this game for an hour felt sloooowww…

Music is awesome, except for Agent Venom. His songs feel phoned in, like someone who isn’t into trap music being tasked to add trap into the game. Mark Tremonti’s songs are absolutely a highlight for me.

I love polarizing games, because they are typically games that execute an atypical vision for what pinball can be. None more so than Venom. If you are sick of the same old, make sure you get an insider connected account set up and play this game a while. It’s truly something else.

I bought this game… and I don’t even like the Foo Fighters. But now I’m starting to like the music despite myself.

One of the best layouts of all time. Seriously. It redefines the word “flow”.

THE GOOD

Cabinet, playfield, and back glass are all incredible.

I like that spooky is trying something different here.

THE BAD

Sometimes different isn’t very good.

The back glass looks very washed out.

Code is… very early and very rough to be kind. I’ll update my score if this changes for the better.

3 Mike meyer’s on the left with 3 scoops is one of the most baffling pinball design choices I’ve seen. The peek-a-boo effect only works if you’re ~4 feet tall. The exposed wires along this edge just looks bad.

Dmd animations are honestly the worst I’ve ever seen.

Callouts have a very noticeable plosives. Sounds like it was recorded on a potato. Did ANYONE quality check this?

Some people love having the ball hidden from them constantly. I’m not one of those people. Shoot and wait is the name of the game.

Table geometry and build just kinda look and feel very homebrew to me. Especially the left hedges and upper playfields. Honestly looks like something from my college intro to 3D art / mixed media classes. The led rope light trim on the upper playfield looks like something out of a teenagers bedroom. Just… lots of clashing aesthetic choices here.

Music and sound effects just feel underdeveloped in terms of implementation.

SUMMARY

I hate it.

I bought a documented, home-use-only No Good Gofers in the early summer of 2022 with intention of an easy flip, easy few $K… but both my wife and I fell in love with this game. It’s not going anywhere.

Hilariously voiced gofers, amped music, excellent light show, fantastic cabinet, back glass, playfield, and dmd art, simple and fun ruleset, unique layout, etc. I firmly believe it is Pat Lawlor’ a most underrated game.

This one is tough to rate properly.

1. I hate the theme. Toy Story 4 as a movie was... fine. Just not a good idea to base a pinball machine around one film, and least iconic as well.

2. Layout is great! I own a No Good Gofers, so it feels a little familiar. Extremely smooth shooter.

3. Absolutely HATE the sound. Honest to god, worst sounding pin I've ever heard. It's so incredibly noisy. So many clashing soundscapes, it actually gives me a headache when I watch someone stream it. Thankfully, the audio has been down at every location I've played it at.

4. Art and lighting is solid, if maybe a bit too gaudy... but this is pinball, gaudy is sick!

5. Rules are meh, and I blame that more on the shitty theme. What do you do with a throw-away 4th entry to a movie franchise 25 years later? There's just nothing compelling here. The Duke Kaboom ramp is neat, but as a NGG owner, it just aint nearly as cool as a hole-in-one shot with gophers screaming at you. Vpin tablet is a neat idea, but the lag makes it awful.

6. Toys... no toys on a TOY STORY pin from, what usually is, the spare-no-expense pinball maker. It is a real headscratcher.

7. Art is fine. It's Toy Story 4. Looks like an advertisement, not a piece of art like TOTAN or GNR or Dialed In.

Best thing about this pin BY FAR is the backbone Lawlor layout and smoothness of shots, but there isn't much else on that bone to give it any lasting appeal.

Played one at VFW in Ann Arbor.

Played one at a friend’s house.

Played one at a local arcade for about a week before the arcade owner sold it.

Playfield art was absolutely terrible, which is kinda a big deal for me. None of the shots felt good on any machine. Rule set seems super deep. Friend handed me a literal Bible-thick manual. If that’s your thing, you’ll like it more than me.

Too many mechanical problems on all of them. For example, bumping the coin box gave out free games, so if you see one on location, try it!

Tricky to rate this one. Love some aspects, like the art, music, lighting, but dislike some key things, like the theme, callouts, and some of the layout decisions.

I think if you’re a Rick & Morty fan, you’ll love this table, if you’re not, there’s not a lot to keep you coming back to it. The tricky thing about pinball and humor, is that the first couple of times it’s hilarious, but it gets old quick.

The “Mr Meseeks” callouts might be one of the most annoying / shrill sounding callouts in pinball history.

I’ve been really trying to warm up to this game over the past few months, but I just don’t find it as enjoyable as the average pinball game. Theme, art, and sound are all top-tier, but the actual game play isn’t.

Local arcade average ball time is ~10 seconds, and overall game time is ~50 seconds. Not exactly the kind of experience that will recruit a slew of new pinball players. More likely to reaffirm to casuals that pinball is simply an overly complex game of chance.

I think this might be my favorite pin of all time. If I could trade this table for anything else.... I wouldn't.

It's just a fun, easy to pick up, hard to put down kinda game. But plenty of games have this quality, so the Things that set it in a league of its own are its innovations.

- Projector. Why has nobody thought of this before or ripped this idea off yet? It's infinitely better to be able to see new modes and objectives displayed right there in front of you. Plus, it's a great implementation of an 80s staple, that being the drive-in theater.

- UV lighting. Again, how has nobody thought to do this before, and why aren't other tables ripping this off? The effect is honestly breath-taking, even in a medium-lit room, but in the dark, it's astonishing, and you always want the mode to last longer than it does.

- Demogorgon shot. This has to be one of THE most satisfying shots in all of pinball. Setting it up with projected drop targets and spelling progressively longer sentences? This is the kind of stuff Nintendo would do if they made a pinball machine - simple, easy to understand, difficult to master. I honestly can't think of a more exciting moment than sailing a ball, off a ramp, through the air, and into the mouth. Then getting 2 in a row on the more difficult modes? Forget about it. Pure bliss.

- Telekinesis Ball Lock. When this works, it's amazing. I had to dock a few points here for this one, because it's just not a good design for the effect they were going after. Idea? 10/10 Implementation? 6/10 Again, when it works, it's an absolutely amazing effect. Getting 3 balls suspended in the air? Come on, this is brilliant! But yeah, wish it was more reliable. I have a new ramp cover coming from Stern, so I hope that makes it a bit more reliable. Right now, I just play with the cover off, because even though the ball will go flying off the ramp, at least the ball lock is far more consistent.

EDIT - got the new ramp cover from Stern, and my god, it actually works consistently now! I didn’t think it would make this much of a difference, but if you have a stranger things premium or LE, HIT UP STERN AND GET THE UPDATED LEFT RAMP COVER. My tk ball lock works like a dream now. Score has been updated to reflect this.

- Sounds, music, theme, callouts, rules, layout, all of this stuff is 10/10 for me. Here come the flags, but I'm gonna say it. This is a better table than Attack From Mars. The way the drop targets chime in key with the theme is just so satisfying. Demodog and jackpots are appropriately intense and rewarding. All if the music is just perfect too. I love the end credits remix with the prions for show - it absolutely captures the vibe of the show.

- World Under Glass. If this is important to you, I honestly believe Stranger Things (LE/Premium + UV kit) is the most other-worldly pinball table in existence. Sure, Guns & Roses has a lot of flashing lights, but this table takes you somewhere else entirely. It's not the quantity of lighting, but how they are implemented. Between the UV lights and the projector, this game is absolutely the lighting champ as of this moment. It's not even remotely close IMHO. Maybe lighting is just more important to me, but if you've only played a Pro without the UV kit and projector, you've shot this game, but you haven't EXPERIENCED this game.

I currently own a Jurassic Park (Stern) and as much as I absolutely love that table, Stranger Things is just a better overall package. If I could only own one table, this would be it.

So I've owned this game for a few weeks now. Was actually looking to buy the Pro, but since Premiums and LEs were the only ones available... sorry wallet!

But man, this game is just soooo fun! Very fast, very smooth, very chaotic! It just screams "fun". I think Jack Danger called it the first time he set it up, dubbing it a "flow monster". The ball just whips around this table like no other game I've played.

And I really REALLY need to talk about the music. God damn. This thing bumps. So many awesome songs that just suit the theme and action perfectly. Like, the music is a huge motivation for me to get different modes going. I'm not being hyperbolic when I say it's the best music I've ever heard in a pinball game. Sure, some other tables have 1 or 2 iconic tracks, but this table? Every song is a banger!

Art is stupid good too. Zombie Yeti in his element, drawing turtles in the classic cartoon style, but with his own twist on it. Literally perfect!

Lights are insane, and if you or a kid you have has a sensitivity to flashing lights... Oh boy, this table will be entering a world of pain. But, for those of us who love to be flash banged, and can't get enough HDR, this table is just wild. Like, I'm sure it might be annoying for some, but I kinda like how obnoxious the lights are. When you blow this table up, it's like fireworks going off. Just so damn fun!

Only bad thing I can say about it are the screen animations. They're very "meh". Serviceable, but that's it. Considering how awesome everything else is, they kinda disappoint by comparison. My wife was like "they should have done the animations in the style of the arcade games" YES!!! Who did Deadpool's animation? That's what we need here! 16 bit animations would have made this pin a 10/10.

Such a damn fun game. Sorry, I can't stop saying that. The pizza spinner multiball, the truck unleashing the turtles, the pizza eating button mashing, the glider diverter. It's just a lot of fun!

Very difficult to rate this game.

I had to dock points for not doing something better with baby Yoda. I’m not a Star Wars fan whatsoever, but that seems like a huge missed opportunity.

Speaking of which, despite not being into the theme, I can’t deny this game is a lot of fun to shoot. It has this “immediacy” to it that I really really enjoy. Instantly had good flow to it and satisfying shots. Very curious to see the premium.

But those god awful ugly plastic rails.... ugh. They create a ton of glare, right over some crucial inserts. Would it really have cost that much more to just do metal rails instead, like the premium and le? It’s a huge eyesore, worse than genesis back glass imho, since you have to look at it while you play!

I can’t imagine being into Star Wars and not liking this table. Brian Eddy did a fantastic job, switching up his usually fanned layout for something equally innovative. I thought it looked generic from the reveal, but playing it proved me dead wrong.

Solid solid game. Just a lot of fun. We can complain about all kinds of superficial things, but at the end of the day, this game just feels awesome.

Deserves a higher score than I gave it, but the awful baby yoda doll and ugly plastic ramps are 2 big oversights for me personally. The art and the theme really do nothing for me, so take this as a subjective review, but I would never argue with someone who likes Star Wars and rates this a 9.

The single most overrated pin in history.

Many people here will give you a much better overview of this title, so allow me to do something different, as I attempt to convey WHY I believe this table is overrated.

As an arcade rat of the 90s, I have a theory as to why this pin did so well. I firmly believe it benefitted immensely from the street fighter 2/ fighting game craze of the time. I distinctly remember going to arcades only for SF2/mortal kombat/fatal fury/etc. matchups in 1991/92/93, and while those arcades were tied up, I would kill time on other novelties, like pinball. Lots of kids did the same. Heck, I remember 711 had a street fighter 2 CE in 1992, and so many kids would flock to it on school lunch break, that they limited store capacity because of it. AND THIS WAS IN -30 CELSIUS WINTER! But we still waited outside for our turns XD

Arcades were simply on fire during this time, thanks to the vs. fighting game phenomenon, and the Adam’s Family movie ad campaign was in high gear. Remember, this is at the height of fast food tie ins. The Adam’s Family commercials were inescapable. Heck, even MC Hammer did a song for the movie, if that gives you any indication of the lengths the Adam’s Family promotional machine was willing to go to in order to cash in on fleeting hype.

The success and allure of this pin is a textbook example of being in the right place, at the right time to make a great first impression of pinball on a whole new generation of gamers.

It’s no coincidence that as the fighting game craze migrated to consoles, both pinball and arcades in general, began to decline. So while pinheads love to blame video games for the decline of pinball, y’all need to acknowledge that pinball also benefitted from video games too. I will even argue that Twilight Zone wouldn’t exist without Street Fighter 2, since the success of Adam’s Family begat that title, but I’m gonna stop there, as I’m sure to get flagged for insinuating that idea, haha :P

Anyhow, just my little theory. I hope it was at least entertaining.

That said, there is still a lot of merit to the hyperbole. It’s a damn fine game, designed by one of the goats of pinball design, even if it is one of my least favorites of his.

Love it, but I’d literally take any stern game from the last 10 years over it.

As a fan of TNG, the callouts are as good as it gets in pinball. Theme integration is also about as good as it gets.

I always thought this would be my first pin, but after playing more pinball over the years, I find it plays a bit clunky. “Fluid” is not a word I would use to describe this pin... other than that glorious initial helix loop of course.

Still, a marvelous piece for any collection. The dual cannon shot is one of my favorite gimmicks in pinball. So satisfying to land, but so frustrating when you miss.... and then Data rubs it in! But them when he tries again and Picard cuts him off? “Thank you Mr. Data” That, my friends, is a god-tier pinball callout.

Played the digital version of this game and it helped me understand the depth and goals of pinball more accurately, so I have a soft spot for this one.

But the theme, music, and callouts are pretty much perfection. The toys, the whole concept of the band, it’s just so damn fun.

Can be a bit repetitive, but I’d still love to own the remake someday.

This game is a bonafide classic.

One of the most underrated pins. This is the game where pinball finally clicked for me. Very easy to understand for beginners, but lots of depth and challenge for intermediate players too. Striker is a hoot, and the goal shot combined with the excellent callouts make this game a classic.

Gotta own it someday.

I thought this machine would be easier to score, but the pinside system made me think about all the elements more carefully.

There needs to be an originality score, because I absolutely love pins that try to push the envelope with innovation. G&R does that in spades.

But I just don’t like Guns & Roses as a band. Bias aside, while some of the songs suit the action well (the shaker/lights action on Live and Let Die are just so fun and well done), some of the slow songs are badly suited to pinball. I forget the name of the slow song that I was playing the other day, but it literally sucked all the energy out of the game.

Based on theme integration and lights alone, this game is a 12/10. Incredible. This is the magic you get when a pinhead who owns the intellectual property is involved. Without Slash, this pinball wouldn’t be half the spectacle that it is. I work in music, and I know what a nightmare it is to get all these art, sound, and brand assets (see 2019 Jurassic Park as a counterpoint), so to me, this pin is a mini miracle in logistics lol. I mean, Fender AND Gibson guitars on the same table? I thought I’d see Master Chief in Smash Bros. before that.

And now back to a negative point. The multiballs... dear god....This thing spits them out like no other pin. Nothing even comes close. It’s thrilling for a newbie, but feels tiresome for anyone who likes to earn these modes. Still, I’m glad there is a pin out here that’s trying something new with multiball implementation.

The skill shot... has me mixed. On one hand, it feels like a far too finessed, gentle, and nuanced start to the game for the over-the-top, brash, brazen, stale-cigarettes-and-faint-smell-of-old-beer-cans vibe that I associate with guns and roses... on the other hand, it’s just a damn good skill shot that rewards skill. Still, it just doesn’t suit the skulls-n-guns theme of the band at all... perhaps the skill shot is an attempt to represent the delicate flora aspect of their namesake? Meh, still feels at odds with the theme.... see what I mean about being difficult to rate??

Overall, this pin is a gem. Love the theme or hate it, you simply cannot deny this is a well-made machine, designed with passion for pinball and an enthusiasm for innovation. While not perfect, it’s a milestone achievement for pinball. If you’re a fan of the band, and you like the softer, floatier feeling of Williams era pins, and you’re a glutton for multiball modes, this is your holy grail pin. Go find one and play it!

UPDATE:

Played this game a lot more since I first reviewed it. The sheen has worn off, and the game left after novelty has run its course is far more average than the presentation would have you believe.

No doubt, a fantastic feat of pinball engineering, but now that I’ve played it where I could hear things better, I’ve come to realize that Jersey Jack’s sound design really grates on me. I really started to notice it on Wonka - the clashing sounds stacking on each other. Chimes, flourishes, etc. it all feels noisy and too whimsical. Oppositely, listen to Stranger Things, and how the drop targets each correspond to a different note in the key of the main theme <— THAT is great sound design.

I’ve also come to realize I hate how floaty JJP tables are. Wimpy flippers. I remember playing a HOBBIT at expo and it felt like an old em. I was curious who set it up that way, and I saw that it was brought by JJP…

80/20 rule applies here - 80% flash, 20% substance.

I could go on and on about Keith Elwin’s superb Jurassic Park table. The combo shots are incredible. The exhilarating speed, the fastest loop shot I’ve ever played, the cinematic sound design, the awesome ball munching/ball throwing TRex. The excellent difficulty curve, and most satisfying spinner shot of all time IMHO. The addictive gameplay, and variations. The choose-your-own-adventure style map progression, etc. etc.

It is the first table that my wife and I bought, and we got it brand new. Even with that kind of cash saved up, and pretty much any table at our discretion to own, there wasn’t a debate on which one we wanted. Between the theme, the fun factor, the challenge, and the projected longevity, it was a no-brainer.

So let’s talk about a few flaws.

* Theme integration. Given the lack of assets, the team did an excellent job at giving you a different perspective on the events of the first film. As someone who holds this movie in very high regard, I’m actually glad there are very few movie callouts - I don’t want to hear the same lines of one of my favorite movies over and over and over again. I looked into the modified software for this game where they add in movie video and sound, and... I don’t think I’ll ever install it. It’s well done, but for me, as a huge JP fan, it would get annoying. A lot of it just doesn’t make sense with the specific story the game is trying to tell. All said, I realize this is a very subjective take on the theme integration. I can absolutely see how the lack of film assets would bum some people out, and I thought I was gonna feel the same way, but after owning it and playing it hours every day, it’s actually a positive. Also, some tables really feel like they’re reaching to tie in the theme. When the theme is wide open like Stern’s JP, you can make a custom adventure, and that’s something I really enjoy about this table.

* Shooter lane is finicky. Simple fix, but a bit of an oversight.

* Voice acting isn’t good. I’m a big fan of crappy b movies, and Shenmue is one of my favorite games of all time, so I have a soft spot in my heart for crappy voice acting. It doesn’t bother me, but I can see how it could get annoying to some. The Sam Jackson impression is humorously bad XD

* My personal biggest complaint about this game is more of a Stern-specific complaint. I really dislike their generic arrows and circles and squares that litter the playfield. I understand that the rules need to be displayed clearly, but it just makes all their playfields kinda generic and unexciting. It’s like they had some boring board meeting 10 years ago, where a group of non-artists focus-grouped a bunch of non-pinball players on how to communicate the table rules. It’s 2019, yall. We have the tech for video and audio callouts - we don’t need the beautiful playfield art to be ruined by these generic, ugly road signs. Stern, please stop this “best practices” crap, because I know the artists probably hate it too.