I feel bad for JJP in the sense that factory default setup of the game is set towards novice players so location GNR's aren't very fun to play for people like us. So in that sense, I guess I have to relate to the haters.
That said, 6.8-7deg pitch, adjust the flippers to be parallel with the guides, increase flipper strength, tone down the easy mode settings (i.e. make booster multiballs harder and reduce the infinite song ball saver) and this game is one of the funnest shooting, funnest playing, intense, adrenalin packed games i've played. Coming up on my 1 year anniversary of owning the game and it's creeping into a top 5, maybe even top 3 of all time for me personally.
For GNR fans out there, I'm here to post that this game is absolute bad ass. I bought JP Prem at the same time as GNR and GNR ate it up (pun intended) - completely smoked it. That said, it's too hard to compare to Godzilla - as that game looks to be another instant Keith Elwin Classic. But, it also falls flat in the typical release code dept. However, Keith said in an interview all the things that are coming and in Elwin we trust. So really, I'm not here to pick a this or that because GNR smokes just about every stern i've owned since getting it and all time; but Godzilla looks so freakin cool I'm just gonna say that GNR is bad ass and gets a bad wrap.
Keep in mind GNR is a music/concert pin. It's not a journey-mode based game. But, it has mode based elements incorporated for those that want to play that style. All in all, I feel bad for people who dont enjoy this game - maybe they just aren't happy in life or something. But, I've been in pinball a long time and this game is pretty freakin' amazing.
Since this post got a lot of thumbs up; i'll add in some retort to help with the factual opinions of it and haters:
Quoted from Linolium:Let me start off by saying I really enjoy WoZ, Dialed In, and (to an extent) Wonka.
I think G&R Sucks, here's why:
1) The left ramp bricks 90% of the time with dead-on shots. And by bricks I mean it hits something at the top before the switch and rejects back down the ramp. The only way I can *usually* get the shot to work is by backhanding it. Even then it rejects occasionally.
2) The way the modes end and kill your flippers is horrible. Who ever thought that was a good idea should be slapped. NEVER Kill flippers unless maybe it's the wizard mode or something REALLY REALLY RARE AND SPECIAL. It's incredibly confusing and irritating when you are getting into the groove and nailing shots.
3) As others mentioned, the skill shot sucks. It's boring and the ball often gets stuck between the gate and rubber if plunged too softly.
4) The multiball mode light shows are horrible... I mean what the fuck am I supposed to shoot at? EVERY lamp is flashing or animating in some way. Don't do that. And don't tell me to look at the screen because that is not acceptable if I am in a multiball. Only relevant lamps should be blinking with the occasional light show when you do a thing good.
5) "+1 Tilt Warning" is incorrect terminology. I kept thinking the game was giving me a tilt warning for playing correctly! Da Fuq! It should be worded differently... maybe something like "Extra Tilt Warning Allowed!" with the number displayed "3 Warnings remain".
6) The scoop is dead too often. Its soooo easy to accidentally shoot, but yet does nothing most of the time until you light something. I don't have a good software fix for this off the top of my head, but that scoop should not have been in dead centre of the playfield. Next to the right ramp, in place of the "center shot" (which isn't center btw), or some other place slightly out of the way.
7) On the "standard" that upper left section is completely waisted. It should have been open so you can see the ball, or something not so static and lame.
8) The left orbit, while hittable, is IMO to low. It should have been shifted more to where the left ramp is and the left ramp shifted a little more center with a fixed right turn (so it doesn't brick).
I haven't played Godzilla yet, but I'm really looking forward to.
Keep in mind a lot of my opinions are based on my properly setup game where i've also tweaked settings. JJP software settings are setup pretty dam easy if you ask me which is why people see so many multiballs. But they're catering to novice location players, not average or above average ballers. That said:
1) Happens about 1 out of 50 ramp shots for me. Jurassic park and other pins brick way more often. I think this comes down to setup.
2) Um...Encore is a special moment. Kill the flippers and give out the fanfare.
3) Stuck? Poor setup on your part again. Skillshot is actually pretty sweet - you get 1 point for skillshot, 2 points for super. You need X amount of points to light crowd multiball. Which is super easy on default settings. Increase the settings even one notch harder and the skillshot brings in a whole lot more meaning.
4) Ah...there it is, so you haven't played this game very much. Well, some of my most favorite pins I had no idea what to shoot for. GNR is no exception, but it's actually pretty easy once you learn one or two songs. There's song mode objectives, powerchord objectives, and band frenzy objectives - 3 things; which all 3 are critical. I'd say learn those 3 objectives, but you think the game sucks so really don't bother, just know it's not your typical stern chase the single light mode(s).
5) Really? You don't know what that means? Again, you probably don't even know there's 2 tilt warning inserts that show red for (1) warning per insert and yellow for (2) warnings per insert. Tilt warnings and tilting are critical to this game and JJP games
6) Learn the rules? That scoop actually gets smaller when applause jackpot, it's quite amazing (sarcasm). Why are you shooting the scoop so often anyway? You really need to learn the rules, but again...see my #4 response.
7) Agreed!
8) disagree - it's pretty freakin bad ass long loop. This probably comes down to setup though - see my post above about making flippers parallel with guides and increasing flipper strength.
Let's see, what hasn't been discussed:
• Right loop > right ramp into the ramp target for a lights double super jackpot = amazing
• Left loop > inner loop > left ramp straight into the lock = holey blow your socks off batman
• The inner spinner whizzly-do through the pops up to the lanes = one of the coolest shots in pinball. I think I may even enjoy it more than the Katana ramp in DP.
• Mini pf, one of the coolest mini pf's in pinball. Not grindy like most. Can lock balls from the bottom flipper. Fast action, little time spent up there, and has huge uses during multiball to help plant balls.
• Multiball: ah yes, it is multiball heavy. I think the problem though is people don't understand the rules. The game punishes you for trapping up which 90% of real pinball players will do in multiball. But you can't on GNR which makes multiball seem much more havoc...wait a sec, what's that SKB? if you learn the rules, you can learn to control the multiballs. Plant balls in the powerchord. Go from 1-6 balls back & forth. Start an encore with 1 ball and see if you can build it up to survive the encore? Get the T-shirt/poster patch set so you can trap up and play a controlled multiball. Who knew this stuff existed, i thought this game was all lights. Weird.
Anyway, I probably shouldn't have clicked this thread. But wanted to throw some positive light into the mix from someone who's been around pinball a long time and has owned the game for more than a month (almost a year, wow) and has more than 50 plays on it (I think im up to 1500?). GNR kicks ass. Feel bad for those who don't see it, but hey, that's pinball. Peace.
Richmond, VA
