These two games made me rethink what I value in pinball. Love the Wonka theme, but I think the game just blows. It’s boring and not fun. Couldn’t care less about the Deadpool theme, but I think that it’s one of the best and exciting games that Stern has ever produced.

I agree that theme is a tricky thing in pinball and probably overrated. It can be a great tie breaker though, I know that my love of the theme really helps keep BM66 fun for me even after the honeymoon period of owning it has passed. So if you've played and enjoyed both maybe that's where picking the theme that makes you the most happy might make sense?

Go with Deadpool cool layout great coding very fun to play.

Wonka is a wonderful theme with lackluster play. Deadpool is an awesome theme with superb play. Easy choice.

I think both are fun. But I feel wonka is the better game and theme. Maybe I just dig more flippers/shots.

Neither theme is enough to lure me, so it all comes down to gameplay and code. As it stands now, I'd go DP. Wonka shoots well and that could change in time with updates to code, but damn, Deadpool is fun.

I actually like both games, but Deadpool is fantastic and Wonka is just good.

Another vote for DP.

Every shot in that game is fun and never seems to get “old”, the code is deep and interesting, the game has possibly the best video content, callouts, and sense of humor of any Stern to date, and of course the art package and lighting speaks for itself.

My only (completely subjective) criticism is that they got a little lazy and used too many colorless inserts in mid-playfield, but the Pin Monk “brackets” fix the issue (the only mod I’d bother with for this game).

Wonka is no slouch either (and has superior build quality, assuming the playfield is OK), it just doesn’t punch nearly as high as DP for me.

Dp was a surprise for me and I loved it for a few months. However it got stale pretty quickly with the limited amount of shots due to only 2 flippers. Sold it to get a Wonka le and very happy with my decision as it just offers so much more variety of shots and it's just a beautiful pin with so much going on to keep it fairly fresh even after tons of plays. Dp is still one of sterns better pins the past few years and is really fun.

I want them all.

I love DP, never clicked with Wonka.

I have had deadpool premium for about 10 months now and it has not gotten old. I just love the thing to death. Ive played a Wonka for about 10 games(silverball museum). I think the theme is great, but I wasnt in love with gameplay. Im sure with more play I would learn it and like it more. So for me I have to say deadpool at this point.

Wonka for me. More variety. But I like dp too.

Wonka is a turd, couldn't sell fast enough. I really enjoyed my DP pro, awesome game but it was a bit on the easy side.

I just picked up a DP Premium and love it. The game is so much fun. I played Wonka a few times and it was not for me.

Deadpool Premium is a great game. Wonka is pretty good also but Deadpool gets my vote.

As it so happens, I picked up both a Deadpool Premium and a Wonka LE a month ago (I had a good year.) Both are technical marvels, both have performed beyond my expectations and both keep me coming back for "just one more game." But for true "apples to apples" you have to compare the two at their same trim levels (LE vs Premium) as these are what I consider "the full game."

The Wonkavator on the LE isn't just merely a physical ball lock, it is the climax to the build-up of a light show/sound show which kicks off one of the cool modes of WONKA. Likewise for DP -- the disco loops mech not only allows you to chain loop shots, it's a whole "show" with the lights coming down, the music coming up and the disco ball turning, doing its thing. The added features are part of a greater whole. The Collectors tier does nothing for me but to own the game not having all the "game" stuff would drive me bonkers.

But to your question, I would break down the differences this way:

FIT & FINISH -- The JJP just "feels" nicer. It's heavier, the shaker motor doesn't rattle the glass, the light show is amazing, there's tons of different music cues and sound f/x with each mode and shot. The big screen is beautiful and really makes you take notice. Deadpool has a few hiccups: some of the animation has "clipping", there's some "rattle" with a few of the shots and there's an annoying bug which PinMonk has pointed out in the font, namely, there's a weird space after the number "1" on the match sequence. Not a deal breaker but it's there.

SHOTS -- Deadpool has the most fun, satisfying single shot of the two -- the right katana ramp followed closely by the SNNNKT shot. You'll clunk around around for two balls and then nail that shot to put a smile on your face. Chaining it together with the right ramp to get the MXV Secret Skill shot is pure pinball bliss. The sound f/x and the animation fill it out. It's awesome. Wonka is more as Deadflip says "buttery." You can combo the two ramps all day and then nail the gobstopper for a huge combo. In addition, there just feels like there's more shots on Wonka -- almost every angle off the flippers is covered (including a few brutal posts.) I know some have said there's an insta-drain coming out of the pops but I haven't found that to be the case. The "click" of hitting the captive ball is satisfying, too. Both games have multiple, challenging skill shots coming off the plunger.

RULES -- Wonka has the deeper rule set of the two (I'm STILL learning some of the more basic rules.) Deadpool still holds some scoring secrets for me but the basic rules of "defeat these three bad guys, finish these two quests" are easy to pick up which makes Deadpool my 7 year old son's favorite by a mile. I haven't reached wizard modes on either game.

FUN -- As I said, you can't go wrong with either game they're both outstanding creations from thoughtful, experienced, innovate designers (Gomez & Lawlor.) As I said in another post, I'm having a ball modding my Deadpool with Marvel action figures you can buy off eBay. The game's art is literally taken from these same figures so they pop right in, same scale and everything. I've added a subwoofer to Deadpool, a shaker motor, a new katana handle, etc. The glass is off on that machine a lot (for good reasons.) As for the Wonka, it's already a full package. The shaker motor in particular is placed near the center of the cab and just "feels" better when it goes off. The Wonkatania mode, in particular, is a "must play" before making a choice. The mode starts, the lights go down, Gene Wilder starts reciting the creepy poem from the movie (when they're on the scary boat ride) and the shaker starts pulsing faster... and faster... and faster... Meanwhile, you're trying to hit ramps and concentrate. As the katana shot is to deadpool, the Wonkatania mode is to Wonka. It's an amazing combination of imagination and technical know-how. It's modes like this that make me love this hobby.

FINAL VERDICT: Flip a coin. They're both great.