I know what I bought and was considering both when I purchased..... GB !!!

I find Hobbit to be sluggish. GB is full adrenaline. Go with GB Premium

I greatly prefer Ghostbusters over the Hobbit. Very different playing games.

Not sure either is good for beginners.

GB is full of cheapness and soul-sucking anti-fun. Everyone in the house will hate it.

Hobbit is an incredible cinematic journey with amazing rules, features, sound, shots, toys...it's got everything! Everyone in the house might be confused by it. It's overwhelming at first, but once you get the rhyme and reason behind everything, it's brilliant.

Genuine question here. I've only played a few games on the Hobbit, but what's the "rhyme and reason" behind the upper flipper to seemingly nowhere? That seems to be a JJP trademark.

Get a GB, and add a few mods to make it play "nicer"...

- Center drain post + higher inlane plastics (keep the ball from flying over the inlane dividers)
- Longer (carrot) flippers - not needed if you get the above
- airball shield

Then everyone will love it! Rarehero has a valid point if you do not do the above - it's a tough game for beginners without the mods.

The drop targets in front of Smaug.

-Sometimes when the ball is in the pops, as it comes out, one of the targets will be lit in light blue...you can hit it from the upper flipper.

-A few modes have you loading the ball into the Windlance (the left outlane has a peg that holds the ball, and a coil that shoots it)...the windlance launches it to the upper flipper to set up a shot to those drop targets

Those are really the main uses for it...but sometimes I flip it to hit a beast or graze the captive ball....or hold it so the ball hops off it and rolls over the LOCK rollovers.

Thanks. Maybe I'm just of the mindset, perhaps wrongly, that the third flipper should be to hit a shot that none of the other flippers can make, like a ramp or a loop.

Smaug.

I kind of look at GB as overdesigned and TH as underdesigned, if that makes sense.

GB is crammed with stuff, but has bad geometry. Airballs, cheap drains, linear code.

TH has a really open design and deep code. But it relies on the popups and code to create playing interest. They block shots over and over, preventing some flow to the machine.

Not really a fan of either at this point, but even though I sold my LE I'd rather have it than TH.

Sure, but the windlance can't set up a shot to the main flippers. A ball coming from the pops can't set up the main flippers. It's just an extra thing to do. You don't have to use that flipper if you don't want to. When you shoot the left orbit, you can let it come back on the right and go to the bottom right flipper...or use the upper flipper to hit targets.

On Hobbit, everything is context. Keith managed to make so much happen with that limited space under glass. No shot just does one thing. It's generally "Shot does this, unless you do that first, then shot does something different". For instance, sometimes an orbit shot loops...sometimes a magnet catches it and drops it into the pops (which then can set up the upper flipper shot)...sometimes you get a "cave lock" if you light the orbit locks by spelling LOCK 2 or 3 times before locking a ball with Smaug.

Or even the ramps...sure, they're just two ramps...sometimes they light the beast inserts, sometimes they start a mode, sometimes they lock for multiball, sometimes they give you more time in a mode, sometimes they let you flip the book pages to choose a different mode.....sometimes the right ramp sends the ball to Smaug - sometimes to the left inlane - sometimes to the Windlance. Anyone who says the game is "bare" (and I used to) really hasn't played it...there are so many little things that change and affect gameplay...it's constantly interesting.

Ghostbusters, and it's not even close.

There's a setting that changes makes it harder to light the beast inserts, thus making it so the beasts don't pop up as much. Tweak that setting, and it balances things out nicely. More flow, and the beasts feel more like a surprise when they do show up.

Hobbit, and it's not even close.

I just sold my GB and replaced it with a Hobbit and couldn't be happier!

I found GB to be OK, it's fun but the linear code and the call-outs got old. I think it's a better game for those that just want to be entertained and shoot lit shots, such as non-pinball people and kids.

Hobbit is an amazing machine with amazing code, but you have to be willing to really learn the code in order to fully enjoy it. I'm still trying to figure it out and am absolutely amazed at the depth of code and everything the game has to offer. I know it's still early, but I think I'm going to like Hobbit better (as I do now) in the long run. When I play hobbit, I don't feel like any corners were cut or features left out when I'm playing it either. It has a build quality feel that I just didn't get with GB or some of my Stern's from the last few years.

Some have said the game is slow, but I jacked the rear leg levers up and put a fresh coat of wax on the playfield and it's not even close to being slow!!

I would personally get Ghostbusters but you said everyone in your house are beginner players than I would get hobbit.

I have owned both and no question - Hobbit is still here and is an amazing experience and fun for new and old (and this is from someone who likes the theme of GB more than Hobbit . I liked GB but didn't love the playfield geometry, airballs and drains on the Prem/LE and the code for mode selection is still too linear - hope that gets fixed with a code update. Hobbit is not perfect but for your money there is no comparison in terms of what you get in the box compared to GB.

GB Premium is possibly Sterns best pin ever. It's a no brainer, get GB now!

I swear, you haven't played any other Stern pinball machines. You keep repeating this statement...I think most people who enjoy the game wouldn't even put it above 10 or so other bonafide excellent Sterns.

Yes, you must have no brain if you follow this advice! LOL

Quality: TH
Artwork: tie
Theme: TH, but GB comes very close
Sound: Close, but I vote TH
Rules: TH for depth
Fun factor: tie
Lighting: TH
Game play: TH
Scoring: TH, typical of stern games, scoring is not well balanced on GB.
Intangible: TH because it's the most immersive game I've ever played.

Overall, I'd rather and do own a hobbit. GB feels like it should be a 5k game, the hobbit feels every bit worth the $+/- 8k or so it goes for. Throw a big LCD in GB and this could go the other way.

I've had a new GB premium for a week now - my first week impressions: underwhelming. It sits next to a MMRLE that is by far more popular by both family and friends who are all pinheads. GB is 3x brighter and flashier, but it lacks the play one more game vibe for some reason. Hopefully the code improves or it's out. If I had a do-over I would grab a Hobbit.

hobbit! games aren't even in the same league!

Pretty sure y'all have thoroughly confused the OP.

I owned a gb and couldnt get rid of the thing fast enough. Fun for about a week. Havent played much hobbit but there are better games for the money.

Hobbit!

Both are awesome games. I pick hobbit. I own hobbit over GB after going through the same decision last summer. After playing both courtesy of my buddy with a GB premium, I have fun with GB, but the hobbit blows it away in most aspects. It really is different than any other pin. Don't listen to the people that say it's slow. They haven't played it set up in a home environment. Hobbit goes nuts, then slows down, then goes nuts again.

IMO, both machines are beautiful. Hobbit is built solid and feels much better than gb. I would like a GB premium someday possibly, but after getting deep into hobbits code and constantly repeating gb linear code, I made the right choice with hobbit.

Last thing. I have 3 young kids. My kids ages 7, 9, and 11 fully understand the hobbits rules and love it. They did not like GB nearly as much, and were frustrated with GB when they played it. Just my experience.

Have both - love both, but play GB more - for your situation with beginner players, hobbit does offer longer ball times, not to mention with the flipper angles the ball can be trapped much easier on TH. I have two kids, one loves and always wants to play hobbit, and the other loves and always wants to play GB, so if you want to get and keep them interested in it maybe check with them which theme they prefer!

Both games are winners and will be alot of fun for your family!

Let me ask you this. Out of the games you've owned before which did you enjoy the most and why? Also, how long do you plan on keeping your next pin? Is resale value a consideration? And finally have or would you consider other pins?

If they think TWD is too hard, they'll hate GB. I don't really find TWD too hard, but GB makes me angry with its non-stop cheap drains and airballs of death every time. If you get GB, your family will disown you lol

Yeah buying a game without playing it is a real bad decision. Buying a game without anyone being able to play it is a really terrible decision, just ask the guys who bought ...........nevermind im not even gonna go there.

You're lucky I like it you because if I didn't I'd down vote the hell out of you!

Sounds like you would be better off with a Hobbit. GB is a ball buster. Just my $.02.

I think the OP should make another thread and do a poll and see how that turns out.

I own a GB Pro and Hobbit Smaug. I had never played either before getting them and they were my first and second NIB pins respectively. I was very excited about GB and indifferent about Smaug other than liking the theme because it matched my LotR.

For me The Hobbit wins HANDS DOWN and it is not close. It looks better, sounds better, gets played WAY more (by me and guests) and is just superior in about every way. GB has funny call outs but they get boring and repetitive very fast. It has one of the best multiball starts ever but that can't save it from it's linear play and cheap drains. It is a very frustrating pin. TH is perhaps a tad easy but not at the expense of fun. Whether you are playing or watching, it is an enjoyable experience that rivals pretty much everything else out there. Over the months I've owned both I've gone from thinking GB was awesome to thinking it is just OK and from thinking TH was OK to feeling like it is a top 10 pin.

TL;DR: Ghostbusters has the wow factor initially but once either was in your house for more than 2 weeks, there really isn't a comparison as The Hobbit just blows it away for appearance, replay and fun value.

I should add that GB has functioned perfectly (other than air balls) from the day I got it. I haven't even had to pull the lock down bar on it for a single issue. Meanwhile TH has had multiple issue from day one. These were mostly worked out with the excellent customer support at JJP. I am a strong advocate for both Stern and JJP.

This is just our fun little thing. Let's cherish it

Absolutely, now go play your crappy pins and I'll sit back and admire my Ghostbusters!

You actually got some great titles, can't believe GB isn't in that lineup though.

Same story here, all non pinball guests love the hobbit, GBLE is not for everyone. it got a thousand plays , a fair chance to prove itself but it left without regret.

Ghostbusters Premium is flat out fun. I haven't played enough games on The Hobbit to comment on it. Definitely try both games yourself before choosing.

The rules for the Hobbit were initially very confusing for me but once I watched Karl kill it and tried it again (also it got a software update) -- I love it.
It's actually fun whether you just want to flip or enjoy the full depth of it. GB is not fun for either of those categories: too hard to just have fun and only 1 strategy to score high. I'm pretty sick of it by now.

Definitely play both, a lot, and then go with what you like best.

For me I would pick the Hobbit due to its build quality, value offered in its features and the incredible ruleset developed by Keith Johnson. The Hobbit offers over 30 modes, several multiball modes, 3 multistage wizard modes and a super wizard mode for completing everything is supposed to still be coming. A lot of things sold me on the The Hobbit but its ruleset and code support is one of the biggest reasons I bought the game.

I may still by a Ghostbusters premium one day but it will depend on if the games rules are expanded anymore. Right now many of the games cool features such as the Ecto Goggles and Slimer mech are under utilized in my opinion, especially the extra movement of the premium slimer mech. Also, having to play modes always in the same order can get old after a while.

I hope that Ghostbusters gets a few more big code updates that expand on existing game rules as I think it's one of Stern's coolest looking and most feature packed games yet.

FWIW, I had a GBLE delivered to my house after waiting 6 months and never even opened it before trading it for a NIB THLE. I was too concerned about Sterns quality issues and customer service. GB was a dream theme for me.

I've had my THLE for 6 months and still love the hell out of it and I know I made the right decision. The quality is second to none, JJP customer service is amazing (only two minor issues which they remedied immediately) and best of all my kids love it, too.

I've played several games on both and prefer the GB. I try like hell to like the hobbit but just can't get into it. Maybe it's like others have said that you have to have a better understanding of the rules

I'd say based on your comments and others go with TH. Sounds like you would get a decent deal so resale is addressed. GB will just frustrate your family it seems. Other titles you may want to consider are WOZ and LOTR.

Yes, you can believe. BELEIVE! Lol. Those great games ARE the reason I cancelled my GB. I love games that are well designed, fun to shoot, and have fun code. GB has none of that compared to the games I own. I'm at the point where something has to go if something new comes in. I'm not willing to cut any of my games loose for GB. If I really wanted to play it, there's an LE and at least 3 Pros on location near me. But I don't lol.

FWIW - IMO - most of the posters that do NOT like GB are most likely due to its difficulty/unfairness.
The mods I mentioned earlier change this and make it an extremely fun, fast game. GB really needs these few mods IMO.

Another small mod I forgot: Shorten the height of right ramp -> greatly improves the right ramp (rejects dropped by 50% or more).

So much work just to make GB playable. That and you have to take a gamble with the whole ghosting issue. If you find the game isn't for you, you may have to take a loss on it if you're one of the unlucky ones and get a bad playfield.

Everybody has their own preferences. I love GB premium, and TH bores me to tears.