Nokoro's ratings

Godzilla is truly a game that has it all.

The layout is one of the best I've seen. Shots that are smooth and fun to hit. Lots of things to shoot for. And, ball trajectories that blow me away. I'm often amazed to see the paths the balls take as they navigate the various orbits and passages.

Then, there's the toys. This is perhaps Stern's most loaded pin of recent years. It truly is a full pin with mechs that don't seem gimmicky but just really fit the theme well. A collapsing bridge. A rotatable jump ramp with spinner. A building that raises and lowers and changes the trajectory of the balls, not to mentions serves as a really cool ball lock. And, then there's the captive ball / magnet which is such a cool use for a magnet, the way it latches onto and swings the ball up and to the left.

And, the code is really deep. I have a basic understanding of it, but there are so many layers and so many ways to play that I think I could spend a year playing and still be learning new things. Word of warning though, most average players will not get to see the full depth, as I find it difficult to progress much past one or two battles in one or two cities.

The light show is great. The sounds are decent. The only thing that annoys me about this pin is how I always drain immediately after starting a battle mode. But, I guess that's on me.

I thought Flash Gordon was brutal, but that was before I played Paragon. This is probably the hardest game I've played. No shot is safe. And, there are so many danger areas that you are really kept on your toes.

For all pins, you need to learn how to play the table, but this is especially so with Paragon. This had a steep learning curve for me. But once I figured it out a bit -- like how to go for the in-line drops, a crucial aspect of the game -- it became really, really fun. My games are short -- I have it on 3-ball -- but I keep hitting start again and again. And, when I get a good game going, I instantly start to sweat, knowing that I'm just on the verge of messing it all up.

The beast lair is a really cool area that is super dangerous but gives you a chance to save your ball. The waterfall is the area I fear the most. It's taken me a long time to figure out how to deal with the ball exiting the waterfall, and even now, I'm 60/40 at saving it.

Overall, a great looking, fun game that you won't grow tired of.

This is a fun, brutally hard pin. It has simple, well balanced scoring, with a few strategies to employ to maximize points. There are many things to shoot for. I love lighting the spinners and listening to the sound effects as I shoot them over and over again. The in-lane drop targets are great to shoot, and like the wood beast itself, present danger with every attempt. The upper playfield is challenging. The ball doesn't stay up there for long, but it is a critical aspect of the game. The art package is excellent, and the sounds are well done for the time. Overall, an excellent pin that truly has me saying, "Maybe just one more game."

I'm writing this rating after two weeks of owning the game and over 100 games. I'll update as time goes on if my feelings change.

Summary: Fantastic game. Everything about this game shines from the theme to the toys to the layout to the overall fun factor. One of the best pins out there.

Layout: The layout is very well thought out, with a lot of flow. This pin, however, favors those with a high level of shot accuracy. I'm just average which can make some of the tighter shots, like the right ramp, tough and interrupt the flow. But there is so much to shoot for, and when you are in the groove, hitting your shots, it is a great feeling.

Rules: I'm reviewing this on code version 1.52, and the code feels complete. I understand that there is an update coming to add some more animations and another MB, which is great. This is a mode based game. You can stack some things, but there doesn't seem to be any strategy or reward for stacking. The modes are very well done, and the ones that are available are random at the start of each game, so every game feels a bit different. The two most important things in the game are (1) completing a mode, and (2) collecting a sim card. As for completing the modes, some are quite tough, while others are easier. Again, this game very much favors those with good shot accuracy. Those who suffer in that department might get frustrated in their inability to advance. I'm average and can find modes that I can readily compete. For the others, I try to light Big Bang before I start them. This one shot is very satisfying and allows you to complete a mode with one hit, so it is useful for the harder ones. As to the sim card shot, this is lit upon completing a mode and gives you a mode point multiplier for the remainder of the game. It is a very hard shot. While people complain that it is nearly impossible to make on purpose, you can exercise strategies to get it, like starting a MB when it is lit or trying to bounce the ball off of a target to get in. Overall, it can get kind of frustrating to try for this shot and not get it. On the other hand, it is so powerful in terms of points, that you don't want it to be easy, and when you do get it, you feel elated.

Toys: This game has some of the best toys. The moving statue is enormously fun to hit, and it can change what shots are available to hit as it moves back and forth. There are also 5 magnets in the game that are used very well during certain modes, like EMP and some of the multiballs. There is also the theater shot, the physical ball lock, the drones, the camera, the phone, etc. The one criticsm I have is the diverter. I'm not entirely sure what the purpose is. I know in some modes, you are supposed to hit the ball to the diverter and then try to nudge it through the hole in the upper playfield and into the pops. I find this nearly impossible, but perhaps I'm doing something wrong. It is used well in one of the MB's where you try to sneak your ball past the arm that is raising and lowering.

Artwork: Really great. The pin looks beautiful. I love the design of the playfield, cabinet and backglass.

Theme: I know some are not into the theme and view it as a game about a cell phone. It is not. It is a game about a city and natural disasters. As you play, a newscast narrates the story in the background as to what is happening in the city, and this is done exceedingly well. My one criticism is that I wish I knew whether I was trying to save or destroy the city. I think I've come to terms with the story being about a dimwitted guy who accidentally gets an experimental cell phone, starts opening apps, which leads to natural disasters, and then plays the apps which can either destroy or save the city. I wouldn't mind a bit more explanation, but it is what it is, and it is fun. There is also a certain amount of cheesiness, but this is part of the fun and gives the pin a feeling of some of the older 80's and 90's pins only far more polished.

Sounds: The music is good and fits in with the newscast theme, but can get repetitive. The call outs and voice acting is top notch.

Lighting: Another JJP home run. Very good RGB lighting.

Fun: This is one of the most fun pins I've played. It keeps everything light hearted, but at the same time, there is a level of intensity to it to complete the modes. I keep wanting to play one more game.

Conclusion: Another home run for JJP. The care and attention they put into their pins is amazing. The quality is outstanding, and the playability is top notch.

This game is fast, brutal and fun.

Pros: Great fan layout with super fast shots (especially that middle orbit!). The shots are tight and tough to hit, which may turn some people off. But, I find it enormously satisfying when I hit them. The ramps are fun, and there is a diverter to send the ball to one flipper or the other depending upon the mode. The toys are cool, with the centerpiece being the filing cabinet -- a great take on a bash toy -- with a magnet in front.

Cons: The artwork is kind of ugly. The rules are fairly shallow, though the scoring is very well balanced. There is no stacking of modes, and a lot of the modes are over too quickly to really get into them. I am a fan of the theme, but because of the shallowness of the rules, it is hard to feel like the pin really incorporates the theme well. X-Files trivia questions, though, are a nice touch; you get one every once in a while.

Overall, this pin is great bang for the buck. If I want a quick play that is really fun, I turn it on and play.

This is a really fun pin, and I have to admit that the theme doesn't really appeal to me. It has one of the most unique ways to plunge, and I never tire of seeing the ball race around the outside loop race track. The start to multiball is amazing -- one of the best intros I've seen. Overall, a solid pin that is just a real rush to play.

This is one game that beats me up over and over again, but I always want another game. The shots are quite hard, but all the more satisfying when you make them. The music is good, but the call outs . . . well, it's a shame they couldn't get the ones from the show. The new code makes the play feel quite tight. A really fun game with a lot going on.

This is a great game, super fast, with excellent flow. It is completely approachable from a beginner's perspective and has lots of hard shots and modes for the more experienced player. The Vengeance is a fun effect, but the highlight of this game for me is the Warp ramp. Super hard to hit, but oh so satisfying when you nail it time after time to build up warp. Overall, an excellent game made even better -- faster, more furious -- with the new 1.6 code.

My feelings about WOZ have changed considerably over time. When I first played it on location, I hated it. The game was a drain monster. I had no idea what I was doing and felt overwhelmed by the light show. But, I kept going back and eventually I discovered a method to all the madness. Now, I own the game, and I think it is one of the most beautiful games out there that is also really fun to play.

Let's start with the playfield with all the toys. This game is loaded! But, it doesn't feel overwhelming. Everything is well placed and utilized. That said, there isn't one shot that feels really good to keep going back to. If you like flow, WOZ doesn't have a lot of it. But, it makes up for that fact with lots of things to shoot for, including two upper playfields that really hit the mark.

Next, lighting. WOZ has the best lighting out there that I have seen. While I first found the show to be confusing, I soon discovered the method behind it all. I don't think this game is for the casual player, though they may enjoy aspects of it. But, to really get the game, the shots, and the rules, you have to spend some time with it and get the feel of it down. And, the way the lighting is used in different modes is just brilliant and beautiful.

In terms of theme, the game is totally immersive, making you feel like you are in the movie. The LCD backbox really adds to this with great clips leading to multiball, There's No Place Like Home ball save, Toto ball save, and other modes. The LCD also provides valuable information about game play -- when you have a chance to pause and rest -- that DMD displays just aren't capable of.

The rules are great. Very deep with lots of things to go for at different times. Stacking is key, and when you have multiple multiballs going at the same time with perhaps a munchkin mode, it is just a thrilling experience. My only real gripe is that when you get to the first mini-wizard mode, the witch battle, if you fail to melt the witch, you have to start your progress towards that mode all over again, which can feel overwhelming.

Finally, the innovation in this thing is spectacular. The fact that there are two mini games triggered by the outlanes that allow you to try to save your ball is fantastic. I love how different modes mess with you, like the crystal ball modes that do crazy things to the lighting and flippers. Reverse the flipper buttons on flipper frenzy! Wow! And, the settings menu itself is a thing of simplistic beauty. If Apple wanted to design a system for pinball, this would be it.

Overall, the game is great. The big problem for me is that it makes my other two games look incredibly plain and bare by comparison. I'm becoming a JJP fan boy. It is definitely an expensive purchase, but in my opinion, worth it. I do think WOZ is better played at home where you can really spend some time getting to know it, than on location. But, if you are willing to give it a chance, it can be fun wherever you play.

I always wonder whether you should rate a machine in relation to the time period it was made or compared to all other machines overall. I choose the latter, which is one of the reasons why my score is a bit low on what is a fun pin for the time. There are some cool effects, such as the use of the pop bumpers to make the sound of bombs dropping. The game is simple to understand, but getting and cashing in on multiball and some of the other high scoring awards is quite difficult. Overall, a fun pin to play.