pinballmlb's ratings

I’ve owned this over a year and it is in my top few games. I own several other current top 10 games including MMr, AFMr, MBr, JP, and TZ. It belongs right up there with the first four I listed and it is far better than TZ (which is a top 20 game, but not a top 10 game IMO).

I have zero interest in the Pirates of the Caribbean theme. I saw the first of the movies and thought it was decent, but never watched any of the others. This keep me from buying it for some time, but then I bought it after playing it and realizing how good it is.

I essentially ignore the theme when I play and consider it a “Pirate” game rather than POTC. Not that I hate the theme, just that it didn’t pull me in. As such, I love the fact that the movie clips are more generic scenes and not specific scenes with people.

The choice of characters can be a little overwhelming at first, but in the home environment, it is a lot of fun as I can pick a character and focus on moving their high score up.

I love the stacking of multi balls. The shots are so incredibly varied. The rocking ship with the ability to fire the cannon has got to be the best upper playfield by far ever in pinball and is an absolutely incredible toy.

Eric Meunier created one of the best games ever. I can tell you I have even less interest in GNR as a theme (and cringe at hearing it over and over through a pin), but 100% I will buy his GNR when it comes out b/c if it is up to the quality of POTC, it will be a fantastic game.

I’ve owned JP LE for over 7 months now. I have it as part of a 16 pin collection including WOZ, MBr, AFMr, B66, JJP POTC CE, CFTBL, TWD, WW, MMr, Beatles, SW, GB, TSPP, TZ, and IJTPA.

At the present time, I’d say it is my main “go to” pin, but it is the second to last I’ve bought. I’ve had WW CE for about 4 months, which I really enjoy, but there is not question I go back to JP way more than WW.

The shots are so varied and the theme and music are great. Of course the T Rex toy is fantastic and I can’t imagine getting a pro without that feature. It is just too cool.

The rules are a lot of fun. You can choose to go linear to get through the paddocks or you can go for control room modes, T Rex events, etc and deviate along the way.

The Escape from Nublar is absolutely amazing and has added a lot of interest to the game. No way I’m ever good enough to get to this on my own (certainly not frequently), so getting to play it is a ton of fun. I encourage Stern to give us this option on all games just as they now have on GB (but they need to make it accessible without going through the menus on GB just as they have done on JP).

I love this game and more than almost any one of my games, it has amazing lastability.

I am updating my rating after having the game for another yearn and having purchased a number of other games to compare it with.

Here’s the original comments:

I picked up a Batman 66 LE with a bunch of mods about three months ago. Saw it as a great opportunity given that only 240 were made, but honestly, I wasn't really sure if it would be a long-term part of my 10 pin collection. I like the theme and saw the show many times in reruns as I was growing up, but I wouldn't consider myself a fan of the show.

After playing it for three months, when I think about which pin would be the absolute last to leave my collection, this is it. Why? Because it is so fun and so deep. The integration with the show is incredible and deep. Every time I play, I can look for something new to do with a goal of putting up a high score for one of the 8 major villain modes (there are 2 of each - hold down the right flipper and then click to the alternative mode for each of the four villains before you plunge the ball) or for one of the many, many minor villain modes. No other game that I own even comes close to the variety and fun that this one provides. I've got MMr, AFMr LE, WOZ Ruby Red LE, Ghostbusters LE, IJTPA, TZ, CFTBL, Beatles and MBr. So many wonderful pins, but this is the ultimate keeper of the lot.

I can't recommend this highly enough. You will not regret it. The depth is just amazing.

Here’s my update:

Over one year later, I still love this game. However, its lastability is not quite as good as I thought at the time. I have MMr, AFMr LE, WOZ Ruby Red LE, Ghostbusters premium, IJTPA, CFTBL, Beatles, MBr, TSPP, TWD LE, JP LE, WW CE, TZ, Stern SW, and JJP POTC CE.

The biggest drawback to the game is its layout. It is fun, but can get tiresome. I’m a good but not great pinball player, so getting deep into the minor villains is very difficult for me, so although the variety is amazing it is not as amazing.

In the scheme of the games I list, JJP POTC CE and JP LE are the best by far. Batman 66 fits comfortably in the upper 1/2 of the games, but that is mainly because of theme, theme integration, and great rules and way less so as a result of layout, which can be a bit clunky at times. If it was just on layout, I would actually list it in the bottom third of the games I list.

I have played this game at multiple locations for hours. The first time I played it, I really didn't like it. The theme didn't do much for me. Then I gave it another chance, and then another, and it really sucked me into its world.

Its main virtue is that it is incredibly fun to play. The theme still isn't my absolute favorite, but I find myself not caring because I always have a blast playing it. Great rules, great variety, great toys. An all around very fun pin that I intend to buy one of these days.

I have owned this pin for quite some time and have logged hundreds of games. To be honest, I bought it more for my kids (who loved it on location) than for myself, but over time, it has grown on me and I have played it more and more. That being said, for the reasons below, I do tire of it and it will probably be the first in my collection of 10 to be traded out.

The theme is amazing and funny. Couldn't be better. It is a fun, but sometimes frustrating, game to play. The biggest issues I have are the frequent straight down the middle drains, especially when the magnets fling them that way - it takes skill out of the game and makes it feel more random. Also, there are too many side drains, the worst of which occur when the ball literally walks across the two lanes. Clearly a design flaw in my opinion. The biggest issue is airballs. Tons and tons and not just on the steep ramp. I managed to cut them down by buying an inexpensive airball protector, but it is simply inexplicable to me that Stern didn't address this issue on their own. I own 10 pins and I can safely say that 95+% of airballs I experience among the pins are on this one.

One other big beef (and I sincerely hope they address this on a future code update) is that there is always so much happening on the DMD, so it is impossible to track your score. Compounding the problem (please, please fix this), when a ball drains, the DMD does not display the score(s) of the player(s). So to know where you are from ball to ball or to understand during a multiplayer game where each player stands, you have to hold the right flipper and waste the time going through ball status. Please fix this!!

My only other complaint (but with play time less so) is that each of the scenes is hard to remember, so what to do is not intuitive from looking at the layout. The game makes up for this by its lighting up of arrows, so without understanding the rules, one can simply play by the "hit the flashing shot" rule of thumb and do reasonably well.

UPDATE:

With the scoring update (thank you Dwight!) some of my concerns above were addressed. The rules are MUCH better now and the fun factor and lastability both came up significantly as a result.

I have owned this pin for awhile and have played hundreds of games. I love it. I also own AFMr, and while they share some similarities (fan layout, destruction of a key item with a shaker, etc.), they feel so different and I can play them back to back forever.

It is one of the funniest games out there. I like the strategy of stacking multiball eligibility so that more super jackpots are lit. The castle blowing up is one of the best things in any pinball.

My only beef is that it is a really dark game. I solved that with Pinstadium lights.

Deserves to be one of the classics of pinball.

I have owned this pin for awhile and have played it hundreds of times. I absolutely love it. It, along with WOZ Ruby Red edition, is one of the most beautiful pins around.

The layout is magnificent and never disappoints. Sure, the center saucer shot is risky, but that only adds to the fun, making sure to hit it on a ricochet/bank rather than straight up. The call outs are funny (I never tire of "take your hands off of me...all four of them."

It is one of the most well-lit pinballs out there, which I really like. It pops in a room filled with other pins.

A spectacular game.

I own a Ruby Red LE after falling in love with this pin after hours of play on location. It and Attack From Mars Remake LE compete in my game room for both "most beautiful pin" and "favorite go-to pin" status.

The machine is stunningly beautiful, pulling you into it with its excellent artwork that integrates the theme. The play field is quite interesting with two upper play fields and 5 flippers, including one each on the upper areas. The music and call-outs are very well integrated and tie in with the original film so well. The use of the screen was revolutionary and I believe is still one of the best uses of a screen in pinball.

My only issues with the pin are that it is very dark (easily solved with some Pinstadium lights) and that the key shots sometimes feel a little limited.

Overall, though, one of my very favorites and the most beautiful pin I own.