I'm an EM guy all the way, and although the EM versions are scarcer and more desirable from a collector''s standpoint, I think the SS versions play better. At about this time, games simply became too fast and too complex for EM technology to keep up.
SS technology was a major breakthrough in pinball evolution, and it came along at just the right time.
The only two SS machines I own are "Joker Poker" and "Mata Hari". I'd love to own the EM versions, but it's the SS ones I played back in the day.

Joker Poker is such a great game. The drops resetting on the SS version is a must imo. If I was on a desert island and could only have 5 pins, JP would be one of the 5.

SS for sure

Ss is better for sure. People just like the em for rarity

EM Joker Poker also only has a double bonus as opposed to the 5x bonus the SS game has, presumably to keep scores lower since the EM only goes to 199,990.

I own an EM Cleopatra, and I've played SS Cleopatras at shows. Some takeaways I've noticed, is that they have identical gameplay feels. All the coils and flippers between the EM and SS versions during this time were DC driven. However, the EM version is slightly slower, simply because it had to tally scores, and the "scanning bonus" Gottlieb loved using moves much faster in the SS version, since it would intelligently skip non matches.

So I guess it would really boil down to personal preference. I know if it were me, I'd take the EM version all day. They're not different enough for me to really notice a difference, and the EMs are just super cool and alluring.

how's this for eye candy !

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Played the SS version at a show in south Florida (Ape) several years ago and loved it. Very fun game!

I own the SS and love it, and I'm a EM guy, but the SS game play is great.

As far as which one to buy; it they the same price, the em is proably the better deal with only 820 being made it's more collectible, on the SS side the first thing to check is the boards, if they are original/non-working there is a cost to replace that shoud be considered.

The PFs are the same AFAIK. The SS yields 5X bonus vs 2X for the EM.
I worked on an EM a long time ago...it was a booger to get that 5X bonus scoring correctly.
--
Chris Hibler - CARGPB #31
http://www.ChrisHiblerPinball.com/Contact
http://www.PinWiki.com - The Place to go for Pinball Repair Info

The PF features may be the same, but the artwork is different between the EM & SS.
At the least, the EM has a clownface under the crown just below the Jacks and Queens banks, whereas the SS only has the crown.

Obviously, the backglasses are vastly different as well, unlike many other EM/SS pairs.

Yes. Artwork is different. I meant that the inserts were all in the same place but the bonus multiplier is a different value.
—
Chris Hibler - CARGPB #31
http://ChrisHiblerPinball.com/contact/
http://www.PinWiki.com - The new place for pinball repair info

Nice combo....
If one of them must go....which one to keep?

The one on the wall ! lol

To add, it looks like there are additional rules differences I forgot about.

In the SS version, you light the 5x bonus by making the card hand that’s lit at the start of each ball.

In the EM version, you can only get the 2x more traditionally by rolling over the 3 rollovers.

I have the EM version and for me, it's probably the #1 multiplayer that I
have set up..
I knew the SS drops reset, but never had played one. Does the drops reset
after they've all been down, or once one set has been completed, that set
immediately resets?
I have an EM Cleo and EM Sinbad also, but never had them set up. I suspect
the Cleo is the better of the two (playibility wise), but wonder if Cleo's game play
competes with J.P.'s..

I’ve contemplated grabbing one of CPR’s reproduction playfields for the SS version and putting it into my Joker Poker EM. I’d just need to fabricate a 2x sticker decal to apply atop the 5x bonus label. I would miss the goofy clown face, however.

Another funny thing about the EM version is the printing error around the joker’s “legs”. The SS version doesn’t have this problem.

Wood, Not White

I played both Joker Pokers and the SS just feels so much more powerful and plays smooth and quicker than the EM game. It never misses scoring any point values even if you rip down two, three drop targets in one flip.
Having the chime unit built in helps out a great deal in having the SS sounding like an Em.

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So Vic, have to ask. Keys hanging from the ceiling?

[solid state only]

The queens reset after you get the 3 queens. All queens are worth 5K at that point, even if you're not on ball 3.
The kings reset after you get the 4 kings. All kings are worth 5K at that point, even if you're not on ball 4.
The aces reset after you complete the aces. All aces are worth 5K at that point, even if you're not on ball 5.

The 10 and jacks are tied together. You need to get all 3 drops for them to reset.

I have all the matching red key chains to each machine hanging from the ceiling in all 4 gamerooms in the house. Good eye by the way.

Here are pictures of the basement gameroom. If you look closely you can spot the keys hanging. I did this when our sons were younger to keep them from getting to the keys to avoid issues. It was also an easy location for me when I need to open the game up for any reason. I also had matching red milk crates under every game when the boys were young, so they didn't have to drag or carry the crate to every game they played.

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Okay, so if I'm understanding this accurately, once on ball 3, the Queens are worth 5,000, and same with
the Kings on ball 4, and Aces on 5?

Yes

Great idea, wish I had room / basement for multiple game rooms. Your a lucky and smart man.