People also criticize it because it plays slow and floaty. I suspect this is mostly set-up.

It is.

Hobbit is a wide body pin, so it will play a bit slower than Stern pins in general, but that doesn't mean that it is "slow and floaty" if set up correctly. I have played Hobbit, and one I played didn't have enough elevation and yes, it was a bit floaty at times. But the shots are super smooth and satisfying.

Look at this video and tell me Hobbit is slow and floaty. It's not.

I love what I'm seeing with GB too. I just recently placed an order for Hobbit, and I plan on buying GB too, just a matter of whether it will be a premium or pro. I want to see video of the LE before making a decision. GB will probably play faster than Hobbit, but I don't need every one of my pins to play super fast either. A wide body pin will be a nice change of pace!

Yes, Star Trek shoots very smoothly. So does Hobbit in my opinion.

What I would also find interesting:
For people that HAVENT pre-ordered (and have a 3-4 yr VERY emotional attachment to TH), where would you spend your NEW MONEY:
So, you have $10k in your pocket, and both games are in front of you, which gets your money?
I guess I ask it that way, one, because I think there's a lack of objectivity for "investors"; and two, because that's the way I look at games (since I'm not a pre-orderer).

I can answer this because I didn't (and would never) put any money down on WOZ or TH. In fact, I have been critical of JJP and their terrible handling of the release of The Hobbit in terms of obscene delays and other misinformation...to the point of getting a temporary ban from one of the Hobbit threads.

Well, I was able to play Hobbit a couple of weeks ago, and it grabbed me by surprise in a very big way. I love the theme, so I wanted to like it from the start. But that playfield layout didn't look like it was very interesting, it's too open, and the left upper flipper doesn't seem to do much of anything. Even after my first game I wasn't sure I was going to like it, but that very quickly changed.

I think the pin shoots great, with smooth and satisfying shots. I think the larger wide body open pf plays a roll in those longer shots to the ramps and orbits feeling more satisfying than normal. Add to that the fact that the pin looks incredible, sounds incredible, and the LCD looks amazing and does a great job of helping to immerse you into the theme....and having full faith that Keith and team will make the code great....I placed my order for a Hobbit LE earlier this week.

I do think GB looks great too. But Stern is late to the party with an LCD screen. I can see myself selling another pin in order to get GB too, but not until I can play it and also wait for the code to be updated, which I'm sure that it will need.

But if I had to choose between one or the other, Hobbit is the winner for me based on what I know at this time.

I haven't heard a single, exciting review of the Hobbit yet.

Then you haven't been reading the threads. Your statement is just plain wrong.

I gave my review, and indicated that I was so impressed after playing it that I placed my order for one. There are plenty of other positive reviews as well. Just because people might not be as completely excited as they could be due to the pin shipping with beta code (.80) doesn't mean that people aren't excited about the pin overall.

Not a single exciting review of the Hobbit yet? Really?

It's an opinion, and Skyemont isn't wrong at all in MY opinion.

But have fun with your GB pin with overly linear mode progression, cheap drains, and that old fashioned display with crappy captures from the movie.

Almost everyone that's played GB has commented positively on how fun the game is.
Almost everyone who has something positive to say about TH talks about how fun they HOPE it MAY BE..... In the future.
If people can't see that HUGE difference.... then no amount of logical discussion will change their minds.

Completely ridiculous post. Not only do you make many assumptions, but you conclude that the only LOGICAL conclusion is yours. These are all subjective opinions, largely based on emotion. You trying to make someone's definition of "fun" as something logical is absurd.

Thought you wanted to here from people that had no pony in the race. I guess I have no idea what you're saying anymore, carry on...

He doesn't want actual discussion about it. He just wants to keep giving the same opinion over and over. He has 26 posts in this thread, most of them saying basically the same thing. lowepg has spoken and Hobbit sucks. Don't give a contrary opinion!

You don't have to appreciate Lowepg or his posting habits but you have to agree: the Hobbit sure as Hell isn't winning any popularity contests at the moment.

Oh good, I'm glad that you used my post as an opportunity for you to repeat what lowepg has already stated 26 times in this thread.

Well I guess that makes it 27 then, huh.

Thanks for your valuable input.

Back atcha. I posted more than that one comment that you quoted so you're a bit of a dick to reply the way you did.
I'm sorry you're so butt hurt that the Hobbit came out of the start gates, limping.
The good news is, it's a long race and far from over.
Once again, if you like or love the game, it's all good no matter what others think.
Not sure why a few of you are defending it so strongly. It really doesn't matter who likes what on here.
Play the game and have fun.
WOZ isn't exactly loved by all, but there are some who say it's their favourite game.
I don't agree with them, but that doesn't make them wrong.

What are you even talking about?

I make a comment about how lowepg has repeated himself numerous times in this thread, and was clearly not interested in an actual constructive discussion with the other poster who had the audacity to disagree with him on a point he made, and somehow you interpret that as me being "butt hurt" and you can't figure out why I am "defending it so strongly?"

Add to that you calling me a dick.

Again, I thank you for your valuable input.