I have a JJPOTC and I can tell you that it is not difficult to get into this game. The rules are actually very simple. It's that there are just so many different things you can do! For me, that gives it more longevity. For example, I can play for points using the bonuses, play for multiballs trying to get the elusive all 6 multiballs at the same time, I can play for modes trying to get to a wizard mode (there are 5 and an ultimate 6th one), I can try to solve star map puzzles, or I can just bang around trying to sink ships. Now that I've had it for anwhile I am trying to build a strategy incorporating all aspects. Plus, you can plunder if you are playing with others, which is great! My 12 and 14 year old kids and my wife do not find this game intimidating at all. I once was intimidated by WOZ, but once I brought one home, I had fun learning it, exploring it, and setting up my strategies. JJP games are deep and wide to give the HUO player lots to do. I enjoy Monster Bash, but it has a simple rule set that I think would dull quickly at home. Just my two cents. Good luck with your decision.

I love AFM and MB - 2 of the all time greats.

But, if I were buying a NIB, I would wants tons of longevity, so would choose POTC.

Not a fan of the theme, and it's delayed release has taken it off most people's radar.

But, seems like it is proving to be a very popular game for home use.

POTC is an excellent game but you get way more bang for your buck on a MBLE vs POTC LE which is nuts price wise 8k vs 9500 and the mble even has a real topper on it

I was originally in on a JJPPOTC, and its a beautiful machine, but it was just too much for me. I play pinball to relax and have fun, im not a deep player, so rulesets that take thought or planning, just isn't why I play pinball.

I would go MBr. I have one and love the game. also, good choice on AFMr as well. another fun game.

I think I would go JJP POTC

JPotc is 5 times the game mbr is . Yea its expensive but for 1k-1300 more u get one if the most feature packed pins ever and a amazing code to match. You wont get tired of potc anytime soon... mbr will grow old much more quickly.

I had this choice and went with MBLE, no regrets. Having said that, I still have JJP POTC on my wish list and just need to muster the courage to throw out 10k, with the expectation of losing 2k if I ever sell it. Its a hard pill to swallow.

Totally disagree. POTC is way more bang for buck. That game has so much more to do.

I own POTC and AFMr LE, and have played a lot of MB and dialed in at a friends house. If you like dialed in you’ll love POTC even more. I have MBr on my wishlist and will be buying one as I love that game, but if I had to pick one of the two it would be POTC over MB.

Since they are stopping production of POTC and are totally sold out, I don’t see their value dropping much. If you haven’t ordered one as of today and want to, you’ll need to find a distributor that has unspoken for POTC already on order.

Afm le is arguably the sexiest machine ever built.

MBRLE is a no brainer....its 5 times the game POTC is

Why are they stopping production? It hasn't even been a year since they started? That doesn't make any sense to me. I have to believe they will start another run of them. Maybe not this month or next, but eventually they will. They have too much invested in it to just do a short run and then shutter it.

Apparently its not selling like they thought it wld?

They'll be making this game as long as JJP is still in business....I've owned all the JJP games and their pricing is starting to affect sales in my opinion, which is why the LE's typically drop $500-$1K after u open the box....I love most of their games, but theres a saturation point, which I think they've hit.....

The opposite actually. They have zero in inventory and have sold quite a few from the sound of it. But they are doing a special short WOZ run then making their new pin, coming in March or April.

They certainly could make some again in the future but for now this apparently is the plan.

That’s not what Jack said in a recent interview.

Showing it a year early has cost them so many sales.

There hasn't been that many made and they haven't been producing them that long?

And yet every one they’ve made has been sold... Apparently they have enough presold to keep them busy through March at least.

come on do you really believe that? Have they sold out of the LE allotment? They will build this game until they close the doors (unless there is zero demand).... zero chance they invested all that capital to do a short build of Pirates....

Yep i canceled my day 1 order bc it just took to long

I do yes. They may spin up and make more later again. But with two new games coming this year I get why they are shifting operations for now once they finish the outstanding orders of POTC which will take through March to finish.

People on this forum seem to throw a lot of unfounded negativity at a game or manufacturer when they don’t like something, when the reality is often very different. This is a good example. Another is the recent “decal” issue on MBr - the way the forum read it was a massive issue affecting a ton of machines. The reality was less than 1% of machines affected.

There are still CEs for sale NIB and there's a cap of only 250 of those. That alone tells me they didn't sell too many. If I look on the owners thread, its mostly about 6-8 guys doing all the posting. I wonder how many LEs they actually sold? I'd be surprised if it was more than 500. It seems like very few people opted for the standard, so less than 200? I'm obviously just guessing, but the numbers appear to be low for such a complex and costly game to design and build. If I was a betting man, there will be another run before summer and possibly another addition (like they did with WOZ and Hobbit) in the next 12 months.

Nobody is saying anything negative about JJP (at least I'm not) or their recent game, but I don't believe for a second that they'll stop building the game....JJP's model from the beginning is to continue building all their games....they just come out with new trim of the same game....if theres demand they will build

I agree another run would be in the future. I asked in the POTC thread for late January builds what their LE # was. Should give us an idea how many LE were made.

It always has been a problem with producing this game - very late and too slow.

Shame because people seem to be cottoning on to the fact that this might be the best JJP game yet.

Not many hitting the second hand market.

A lot of "what should I buy threads" lately. Doesn't anybody know what "they" like anymore?

I think people just sometimes like to hear from others experience. I’m the same way.

They are stopping production because NOBODY is buying POTC and they need to get a game that sells on the line!

Toy Story and Wonka

JJP F ed up the launch of this game so bad, just time to move on!

People aren't buying the CE because the damn thing is $12,500! I would love a CE but that is way too much and not enough "extra" in it over the LE which is still priced too high IMHO. I ordered one though as we want the game.

That being said I have both an MBLE and a POTCLE on order. We are huge MB fans and owned for years just recently sold to upgrade to the LE. We have always been big POTC fans and really liked the old Stern and this is miles better. We are also excited to own our first JJP pin but that price really really hurts. If JJP sales are down at all then IMHO it is all due to the price point, nothing else.

they've priced themselves out finally. people will buy pinballs at 6,7 and even 8k. 9k and up is hard to justify.

oops wrong thread

Source? Distributors are selling them so this seems to contradict your assertion.

Wldnt say that.. stern le at 9k still sell out and are no where near what jjp gives you for slightly more..

Their approaching $10K delivered on a Pirates LE, which is pretty crazy for a NIB game....

People need to shop /call around bc when i was in on jjpotc i was able to find many places that offered jjppotc for under 9500 shipped.

I've a MBr SE.... its a ton of fun... I really do love the game.. but honestly, it wore out pretty quick for me....and while we are telling the truth I'm seriously considering selling it and getting a standard edition JJP POTC. All the extra go-gahs just don't change the game enough for me to want to upgrade from the standard edition. I actually don't like the barnacled look of the CE. The only time I consider upgrading from the standard edition to any other is if there is something significantly different that affects the game play.

Ce has the barnacled look.. le is black powdercoat.

Sorry.. I mixed that up...

LE also has moving pop bumpers, starfield backplane, invisiglass etc. The jump from standard to LE seems worth it to me the jump to the CE, no way.

Agreed.. the only thing that really affects the game play is the invisiglass. Starfield is aesthetic, the pop-bumpers move.. but isn't that just rotation of the top?.. or does it actually affect the function of the pop-bumpers?

If you’re buying for the purpose of retaining the highest percentage on what you paid, then I agree MBRLE or AFMLE. Those retain good value. POTC costs a ton and they will make more if demand is there. It’s worse of an “investment” but none of these games will retain 100% anyway, let’s be honest.

If you’re asking which of the three is the best from a HUO perspective, particularly in a small collection, it’s POTC no question. AFM and MB are in the top all-time games list, so it’s not to put those down as I love both, but as crazy as it sounds POTC is in my opinion one of the best pins, if not the very best pin, of all time. And this is including the flaw of an admittedly poor theme. It just has the most amazing combination of gameplay, toys, code, immersion, music, callouts, animations and light show that make it the best pin for a small collection.

Nope just the tops rotate.

If your MB was the LE I would be jumping in the car and bring you some $$ right now for it vs waiting what will probably be another 2 months for ours to come.

Star field will show "constellations" that give you clues to a shot to hit. If you hit enough (10?) then it starts a hurry up I think (I've only done it once). It is a lot of fun actually. I will trap up the ball and then my daughter and I try to figure out what the shape represents and then try to hit the shot. You don't need it to progress in the game, but I look at it as a side game. One of the features that really makes this game unique.

Well thats cool!

Ok learned something new today. Didn't know that at all, nice!

I just ordered one today.

Everyone pinball player who’s played the game at my place left here and bought one for themselves, or is contemplating one, instead of a new stern, remake , or any other etc..

It really that good once you get to know it !