This is looking for trouble.

Oh, and there are different versions of each game. Also, are you talking over-all or bang for the buck? If you were stuck on an island or if you won one on a game show and had to pick one to keep . . .

Too subjective. You are only going to get strong opinions from people with money on one or the other.

I have money on both. What a dilemma!

I don't have the money for either, but if I could get one of the two it would be GB premium.

I only have enough monies for GB pro, so that's what I choose to buy. No idea which one will be a better player.

ask again in one year.
of course almost everybody will say GB because it's the newest one.

That's going to be a tough one, because I think there will be different appeal. Just got Hobbit SE today - it definitely reminds me a bit of LOTR in terms of the ruleset and completing different quests. It's definitely going to be quite complicated when the code gets closer to completion. Ghostbusters I feel will appeal much more to the casual gamer, and have more of a "fun" vibe. I view The Hobbit as LOTR, and Ghostbusters as AFM. AFM vs LOTR - two very different games, but AFM is always going to be more "fun" to the casual/non-player because it's just so easy to immediately grasp the rules and what you are supposed to do. The Hobbit will have more of the "wow" factor and get more initial attention, but I think Ghostbusters will be played a lot more.

Again, this is all complete and utter guesswork based off of what we've seen of Ghostbusters. Who knows what both of the games will really end up being like once all the code is done and the games are out there.

CONGRATS ON HOBBIT
Please consider posting 20+ hi res widescreen pics and vids of Hobbit.

Thank You in advance

I ordered both. Hobbit Smaug and GB LE.

THEME wise Ghostbusters
Gameplay wise TBD
I've played The Hobbit so far, hyped to play GB

I played both at TPF..and this guy gets it..couldn't have said it better myself.

I will expand on this as well. Hobbit is going to be a great home game no doubt. Ghostbusters that remains to be seen but based on Sterns history Ghostbusters would be a game I would own for a year and then sell on to someone else. Hobbit would be more likely to stay in my collection for a long time.

and I agree post pics and vids when you can!

Both games look great and have lot's of potential. Can you ask me again in a year?

One cookie, coming your way.

I have about 20 games on TH at this point and my experience thus far has been very underwhelming. I think it looks great, but at this point I am already over playing it.

I voted GB because I can't imagine I'll think it's less fun than TH.

Played both at TPF and it's not even close for me. GB is like 100% more fun and a complete package imo.

Giddy up

Very well said.

I think GB looks more fun, but then I'm worried about the rules. TH I am not worried about the rules.

Comparing TH and GB to LOTR and AFM might be setting yourself up for some big disappointments. Those are 2 of the best games ever made. The only thing TH has in common with LOTR is the same coder. If anything GB is more like LOTR with a stuffed playfield and some tight shots that quickly return to the flipper. TH playfield wise is much more like AFM but slower and with less shots. I played them both at TPS and the pro GB blows TH away for me. If the premium/LE is better then the pro well that puts GB light years ahead in my opinion. TH is stunning to look at but I will take a fun shooter over lights, an LCD, and shiny art. Gameplay rules over all of the extra crap.

I voted GB but my vote shouldn't count since I have not played either. I guess GB appeals to me more.

Also I see several people selling TH after waiting years, I have to wonder why. I would take WOZ over either of them.

Two TOTALLY different games that don't warrant comparison, that represent the best that JJP and Stern design philosophies can bring.

I think they're both winners for entirely different reasons. I'd like to have them both equally for different reasons.

Both are cool. Purchased Ghostbusters LE at this time. Hobbit looks good also. May buy down the road. I like regular pins over the wide body pins.

I'd consider myself lucky to own either one and I sure would enjoy the heck outta whichever one I had.

i cannot vote at this time. But I have played hobbit extensively, even recently with the offical release.

Hobbit has come a long way since the early versions I played when it was first introduced. That being said. I really really wanted to like this game. Love the subject matter. Love the theme. Love Keiths rulesets. But I do not. Do not like the layout. Do not like how it plays. and do not like how difficult it is to figure out (what should be) simple things. No information written on the playfield, just a clusterfawk of color. A shiton of hexes that you look up on the screen and have no clue what means what. Oh, I got those dudes picture...fantastic. Oh, lock is ready again. How do we start a mode again? What is going on? This dude is poping up again and screwing up my shot. Am I in a mode? Am in a hurry up? Is the game fawking with me on purpose? No clue.

I love complexity in games. LOTR is no picnic to figure out either. But at least it had clear objectives. Things everyone can figure out, even if you didn't want to understand all the details. People can look at LOTR and start a mode. They start a multiball, but don't always know how or why, but they do understand destroying the ring. which is a like a mini bonus. Has depth, but at the same time, you can figure it out and not have to decipher a backglass of shit you dont' understand. It shouldn't take 40 games + just to figure out simple things.

Not saying ghostbusters is better yet. I have put 0 min on it. But so far it looks better, laid out better and has great art to boot. If the rules compliment what i've seen so far, it could be fantastic.

I played the hobbit at the TPF and it would have been great if it weren't so slow. The pop up whatever the fuck those things were were fun. If it were faster it would have been great and if the game didn't tilt for no reason. I also played the shit out of the GB pin and that is what I'm buying. It's fast and fun and looks great. I will not buy from Jack again. I got a lemon from him after waiting 3 years and when the ink chipped off he told me it was a pinball mashing and what did I expect. I asked him for a new pf and he sent me a second with dished inserts. No more JJP for me.

Both are cool but I have to pick Ghostbusters. The Hobbit lacks a variety of interesting shots and toys in my opinion. Too much emphasis was placed on all of the drop targets and pop ups in my opinion. TH would have benefited highly from a motorized canon toy as the windlance that could have then hit the drop targets, a motorized target bank in front of Smaug (Attack from Mars style) with a shot behind it and 2/4 pop ups instead being trapped doors. While playing the game I felt like the ball was just pinging all over the place with very few, satisfying shots and felt floaty.

Ghostbusters is going to go down as one of the best pins ever made. Yeah I'm jumping the gun but the game has everything going for it. The license was done right, there's beautiful hand drawn artwork, there's a deep objective based ruleset, a lot of cool pinball vibe music is in the game fitting to the theme, one of the films actors did custom callouts, there are unique shots, and multiple interactive toys.

What would you rather have in terms of a feature offering?

Hobbit
1. Motorized rotating Smaug: Doesn't interact with ball except for the ball "lock" (lock is in quotes as multiple balls are never locked in the game)
2. Mini LCD: Doesn't interact with ball
3. 4 pop up troll targets
4. 11 drop targets
5. Kickback with pop up peg for Windlance
6. Captive ball

Ghostbusters premium / LE
1. Motorized rotating Slimer: Interacts with ball, moves to 3-4 different shots: interacts with ball
2. Ramp that drops below playfield + integrated with 3 ball lock that exits at a scoop on top of playfield: interacts with ball
3. Magnetic slings: interacts with ball
4. Peppers ghost "Ecto Goggles" toy: interacts with ball
5. Captive ball
6. 3 ball captive ball
7. 2 drop targets

The toys and shots on GB seem more interesting, more unique and more fun compared to those on TH.

I never expected for Stern to make a game like Ghostbusters. They have so far exceeded expectations while I feel TH doesn't match or surpass what WOZ offered. I had such high hopes for TH after owning a WOZ and felt let down after all was said and done with its layout and feature offering.

I still think that TH will be a great game but the wow factor that WOZ has is not there. Ghostbusters has that same wow factor that I feel with WOZ.

I remember when it was a Hobbit vs TWD question. I think I would have to play GB more to see how much the theme song would bug the crap out of me. It was fun the two games I played.
I do know the "trolls" on the Hobbit started to get annoying after a while. Game was missing that something which I can't put my finger on.

Have people been getting to the pop up targets in GB? Those have the potential to be a lot of fun like the gunfight targets in CC.

I like that GB has different ramps, have not seen the side ramp in action on the premium but it looks interesting.

TH has 2 ramps way up the PF and the right upper flipper is a mystery to me.

I can't say for sure but GB looks like a lot of fun, TH I really need to play to find out one way or the other.

GB. I prefer humor over dark and flow over depth.

I played both at TPF. I assume Hobbit is close to final code and GB was on Pre-release code. GB spoke to me preferences more. Hobbit is very nice, just not quite my thing.

I also think Jack screwed the launch of TH, people were excited 2 years ago, but excitement can not last forever.

Plus GB is a more enduring movie than TH which a lot of people didn't care about.

Have only played TH once at a show last year. Have THSE on order. Don't plan on ordering/getting GB. This may be a ridiculous thought to some, but if GB had been issued with at least a color DMD, I would have perhaps been a buyer. Absolutely ZERO reason new machines shouldn't come with a color DMD from the factory at a minimum.

YMMV

I agree 100%....GB drew me in, TH didn't hold my interest.

I had a Hobbit on order but changed to GB after playing Hobbit. Hobbit is a beautiful game and very deep - it will be a keeper for the serious player and JJP code updates will keep it interesting for you.
But my machine is going in my summer rental place and most of these renters will be playing a pin for the first time. So Hobbit just wouldn't fit in - I needed less of a "Time Zone" kind of game and more of a "Whoa Nellie".
They are really 2 quite different kind of games and you really have to do some soul searching to figure out what's right for you.

Good points. I think JJP bet on the The Hobbit films themselves being as good as the Lord of the Rings films but sadly that didn't turn out to be the case. I don't blame them for snagging up TH license as myself and a lot of people thought the films would be on the same level as the LOTR trilogy considering Peter Jackson would again be directing. Peter Jackson kinda pulled a George Lucas though and got away from what made the LOTR films great. There was less time to make the films compared to LOTR (not Jackson's fault from what I read) and more focus was placed on special effects, filming in digital 3D @ 48fps, extras were replaced with CGI characters, etc.

Ghostbusters like you said is a more enduring movie then the The Hobbit films. GB has far greater appeal as well and is still very popular today.

Honestly I think TH pin itself could have overcome some of the disappointment of the films had there just been more variety with its feature offering. The windlance as a cannon toy instead of a pop up peg, the drops in front of Smaug replaced with a motorized target bank that when lowered would allow a shot into Smaug, and making 2/4 pop up trolls trapped doors would have increased the games fun factor 10x in my opinion.

I still want to play the TH and can't count out one day buying one as Keith Johnson is my favorite pinball programmer. Keith knows how to tell a themes story through code in unique ways so I'm sure I'll be surprised how well the game eventually plays thanks to his great code work. JJP also has David Thiel working on the games audio which from what I heard sounds like one of the best audio offerings in pinball. Combine that with JP's great animation work and it's easy to see how TH once the code is done will be a great game.

What's your house name? Are you fully booked for the summer?

My vote is for GB , i own WOZ and i am real impressed, i can even tweak the pulse power for the coils in the menu?!
Then Jersey Jack announced the Hobbit and i was super disappointed.
Why not the Muppet Show or something?
That is a very happy and fun theme for JJ.
For me, pinballs need to be cartoony and weird and funny...so everybody can play.
I don't like serious themes like lotr,twd and th.
Who in their right mind buys the walking dead when you have kids?
It is gross.
GB is just my type of thing,pre ordered an LE!
No brainer!
I have deep respect for the balls jersey jack has,they are writing supercool and epic history.
But the Hobbit is not for me,i really hope Pat Lawlor steps up to the plate.
I sincerely hope he creates a pinball that will become his legacy... May he go way beyond what he already created.
One super title and Jersey Jack will be king of pinball.
I really hope they deliver something family friendly..for now it is Ghostbusters LE for me.

It's called Tee's Tease and I think 5 weeks are left as of now - you can Google it. I'm not sure if GB will be there until mid-late summer but WOZ is there now.

Hmm..... I like the Hobbit better & think the code will make it great. This thread has a old familiar feel..... Hi Kaneda

If I recall, WOZ was panned early for many of the same reasons that TH is panned now ... slow game, not many satisfying shots, etc. I believe WOZ is now a tremendous pin (and my personal favorite) due to the code development. It wasnt that way for some time though. I am hoping patience is a virtue with TH too, particularly since TH code is still pre-version 1.0 and much of the audio and many of the modes are not yet implemented. I see this as a long term bet on Keith and the other programmers at JJP. If they don't carry it through like WOZ, then I will likely not buy another JJP pin NIB. I am betting they will though and am keeping my pre-order.
The irony of it is that, like a Stern purchase, you are betting that the final code is worth the risk of an early purchase. I don't think that was what Jack was aiming for, but at least his track record is 1 for 1 at the moment.

Fun. Basic, lighthearted, mindless fun.

Same problem that WoZ has. They are both wonderfully built pins, just way to analytic gameplay-wise.

I knew there was a reason they appealed to me.

Who in their right mind would buy a Muppet pin if you don't have kids (or if they are old enough)?
It is infantile.

Keeping the balance is the way to go in my opinion. One game for the kiddies, one for the (at least kind of) grown up audience, alternating.
The way they are currently choosing themes is perfect as is.

My vote: The Hobbit, Ghostbusters is a letdown.

Yep looks like GB is a real disappointment, good call!

image_(resized).png

my vote, (and money) goes to GB.

LE on order here

I played both for the first time last weekend. Hobbit is a fantastic looking game - perhaps the best looking pin to date. I don't know why it was hidden in the back corner of TPF. Gameplay felt like an older SS pin. I enjoyed playing it but wouldn't call it exciting or challenging. The upper flipper is pretty much for show and didn't feel it had any shots other than the stand up targets which are easy to hit from any flipper. Lines were not too long but I never felt like waiting in line again. I would like to play it again but not going out of my way to do so.

GB was a looker as well. Colors really popped and the playfield screamed fun with the great toys. Gameplay was fast, exciting, and missed shots often resulted in drains. Code and dots were fun as expected from Ghostbusters theme. For me, this felt like more what modern pinball should be minus the ugly red display. Long lines were consistent all weekend at TPF. I waited 3 times to play it. People were taking pictures of the game and walking away from it smiling. Both games were hammered constantly all weekend and don't think there was one issue. The clear winner in my book. Add in that GB was just announced, demo'd, and will go on sale soon. Hobbit has been in production for years, had many issues, and who knows how long it will take to get out all the preorders.

Well, I've played about 3 hours on Hobbit, and 0 hours on Ghostbusters....so DEFINITELY Ghostbusters. Since I'd like to play it.

No interest in TH. I am considering GB. Time will tell. KISS has made me sceptical amd need to see the code develope.

Ummm...I did! And we watch the show every Sunday together as a family. My kids are 7, 8 and 10 but even they know it's not real and it's just entertainment! Now if I can just beat my son's grand champion score of 200 mil on TWD I'll be set! Little butthole
But to be back on topic, I'm getting both GB and TH, but they don't really compare to each other IMO. They seem completely different, which is a good thing, to me anyway. Played both at Texas. GB was very fun and pretty excited for that one! And TH, well lets just say it could have been setup much better at the show? Can't wait to get it home where I can hear it for one, and where I can set the flipper power so it actually makes the ramps? Too soon to pick a favorite obviously but I'll see in a few months hopefully!