Sure. Happy to.
First off, I would say that I thought that the OG cabinet really looked sharp (esp in all black, imo) and with the lit sides, I think that the OG version from a cabinet look standpoint wins. Sure, taking the whole playfield glass and side rail thing off was weird at first, but you get used to it pretty fast.
Back box monitor, I think having the bigger monitor on the HWY version was great. The PB version is smaller. Bigger than stern for sure. I'd say that with this title, bigger is better and so I would give a smidge towards the OG for the larger monitor. Terms of quality of screen projection, I think they're both about the same.
As far as the overall back box, I think that PB seems a lot more sturdy and I like the more traditional size, but I think that this falls more to preference. I remember the locking mechanisms for the head were a bit different on the OG version. PB is just a simple latch in the back. So I'd give a smidge of the vote towards PB on the actual back box.
As far as under the playfield (boards and wiring,etc) the PB version seems to me significantly more cleaned up and refined and I give PB the win on that one.
As far as playfield differences, best I can tell it's really just two main things. The magnet in front of the chestburster shot and the sneak into the scoop from the super jackpot shot. I think that these two really do add a fair amount and I give a hats off to Pinball Brothers for adding those two things. I do think that that is a nice plus towards PB.
As far as the xenomorph action, they both feel about the same. Upon boot up the tongue makes a uncomfortable noise as the magnet tongue is coming out and going back in before the ball one starts. Same, same. I think as the code increases, maybe the chance to capture the ball increases, but for any of us who have actually owned the game, it's a smaller magnet and if the ball is ricocheting around after a xenomorph stand up hit, chances that it actually captures that ball on that magnet can be slim at times, and I think that is just the physics of that shot. So I would actually say that comparing these two versions, it's a wash.
I do think that the scoop functions much better on the PB version. I remember on both OG's I had, sometimes you would have more than one or two balls in the scoop, and the width of the scoop allowed the balls to stagger a bit. This would sometimes result in not all the balls being kicked out and odd numbers of balls and play and sometimes games that would seem to go on for forever, lol. I've not had one issue with the PB version scoop. So in terms of overall scoop, mech and function, I would give PB the win for that.
As far as flipper strength, I would argue that both can be dialed in equally to play the way that you want. So I think that an overall strength and flipper feel, I think it's a wash between the two.
As far as the overall playfield design as it relates to the in playfield LCD, I thought that was absolutely awesome. Especially for the ambush multiball, but in general, sometimes there can be so much going on so fast, it was convenient, at least for a guy like me, to have that visual without having to look up at the monitor. I think that it was a huge miss not having the in play field LCD screen, but I can understand that losing it minimizes the amount of additional issues that that new company would have to deal with. More money, more problems kind of mentality I guess. But a loss all the same. I give the OG 2 big thumbs up for the in-playfield LCD screen. I do suppose that it is convenient to see the weapons lit though, I will give credit to a good decision if a decision had to be made to fill that area with something, I think PB chose wisely.
As far as targets. The first iteration of the PB stand-up targets had a lot of issues, but they have refined them. I believe I'm currently using what they call the "third generation" stand up targets and they've worked great and I've not had any issues whatsoever. So with this new iteration, I think stand-ups comparing the two is a wash.
I think in terms of overall sound. I think that the inherent sound of the OG is superior to the pinball brothers. That said, as soon as I added an external sub to the PB version, I got the sound that I was looking for, but initially it wasn't anywhere close. So for base/stock sound system, I give the OG the win.
As far as the ramps, all those weird nubbins that are coming off the sides of the unfinished metal ramps on the OG always were a bit perplexing...as if they had originally designed them to have posts and locations that did not make final production. The PB ramps do not have this and look more sleek and streamlined, not to mention that they are super crazy, shiny and polished. For the ramps, I give PB big win.
I suppose another playfield attribute that is different is the actual lock mechanism for hypersleep ramp. I'm indifferent about this, although I suppose an actual physical lock is pretty cool. As opposed to dropping down through the hole and onto the left orbit like the OG, when you have not completed the APC targets, it shoots it up to go on to the left ramp. I actually think that this attribute is much cooler and I give PB the win for that.
The small square stand up LCD screen is same on both, so that's a wash.
One other thing that I noticed, and it's probably not even a play field design change, but for whatever reason when balls would go out the right out lane on my OG, some nice timed nudging would save a lot of balls and bring it in, whereas it seems as though I get a bit more drains out the right out lane on the PB version. I don't know if it's just my game setup, but if not, I would give OG the win on that.
I suppose one of the thing that I've noticed is that I think that the plastics are a little bit more sturdy on the PB version compared to the stock plastics on the OG version. I know that there are some PETG plastic replacements that you can get for the OG, and that's what I did, but I think that the stock plastics are a bit more hardy on the PB version. So I would give PB the win on that.
In general, pound for pound (for me, and this would be in an idealistic scenario where both games were playing just as absolutely perfectly as possible, and ideally there was a company that was alive and well and willing to talk with you about any game issues, etc, etc, etc)...if I had to pick one game versus the other, I would go OG. I would make that decision based on the in-playfield LCD screen, the larger back box monitor, and the overall cabinet look. Either way, it's a badass title, but in terms of just being straight-up bad to the bone, OG is one bad mama that probably hunts and eats PBs for breakfast, lol (don't tell my current PB version, haha).
But I will say that it is a much more secure feeling with this PB version knowing that there is a company that is alive and well and working through the issues, and it is that fact, and that fact alone, that led me to feel encouraged to pick this title up again (and it was that fact and that fact alone that led me to sell my last OG).
So these are just my two cents on the matter off the cuff. Certainly, anyone that has the chance to own an aliens one way or another is a lucky individual!
Jackson, TN
