I haven't owned DM myself so haven't played enough to be intimately familiar with it like I have RS and JD.

I much preferred RS to JD. I no longer own either (can't afford to keep games, I have to sell to get a new one in my collection) but I'd buy RS back but happily not see JD in my collection again.

JD has amazing artwork and really good attention to detail in the modes, music and sound effects. It is an interesting layout but I agree with the common assessment that it is clunky. The upper right flipper is horrendous for shooting the sniper tower, it just wasn't designed very well. The Air Raid shot is practically impossible to hit. The kickback is weak.

RS on the other hand has much more satisfying shots, combos and a better multiball. The music and theme isn't as attractive as JD but the classic Lawlor gameplay and modes are excellent. The linearity is the biggest issue, that's for sure, but it was still a pleasure to play. The shaker motor is really relevant to the theme too, and it's a beast.

I always find it interesting when people complain about RS being repetitive with Taxi Driver being the first mode. The same people don't complain about TAF always starting with Hit Cousin It or Mamushka. The sound for those modes are way more annoying than Taxi Driver. I know you can launch into the bumpers on TAF to start a different mode (just as you can start RS with Spring Break if you shoot the bumpers) but it is a risky shot and you eschew a skill shot so nobody wants to do it (on either game).

Haha, good call, I confused my lefts and rights. I mean the upper right mini-flipper.

Trapping on that mini flipper is pretty rare, typically either the kickback sends it up there or a carom off the drops will send it up there, or any other missed shot up there (common) will allow you an on-the-fly flail shot with the mini flipper and those shots are rarely successful. It's just not designed that well, the ball rattles and bricks out of that sniper tower really frequently, even from the lower left flipper. The way the entrance to the sniper tower lane narrows seemed to me to be a poor design, and not at all shaped to accept shots from the mini flipper.

Perhaps you're right, that different examples of JD might play this shot differently. Could be pitch, wax, flipper strength/alignment/rubber.

There's just something about JD where the general timing and feel of many of the shots feel 'off'. This assessment has merit because it is a common refrain that the game feels clunky. I put it down to the widebody format because non other Trudeau games I've played are clunky like JD.

Agreed, starting the Sniper mode via the sniper tower is a must! Love hitting him twice and getting the dog to piss on his body. JD has to be the funniest game I've played I reckon.

Perhaps I shouldn't try to shoot the sniper tower when the ball is near the mini flipper. But letting it roll down from there can be rather dangerous. The problem is that it's the only viable shot up that way to get the ball down to the bottom of the playfield in a safe and controlled manner, but it just doesn't work very often. Every other shot keeps the ball up there.

This was my favourite thing to do. Crank the Bridge Out combos to max multiplier and earn the extra ball. The Bridge Out diverted to Blast Zone combo is one of the most fun combos ever. The way the ball diverts from behind the right ramp all the way around to the mini flipper is genius.