I like the stainless also but the extras on the le are well worth the 1k

That's what I'm asking. What are the differences?

Starfield, invisaglass, shaker, rgb gi, topper, headphone jack, molded toys, target decals. Spinning pop bumper

http://marketing.jerseyjackpinball.com/potc/POTC-Matrix-New.pdf

LTG : )

Get the LE and fuggetaboutit.

If the demand is there can they renew the license to put more to production or is that something that will never happen?

Two rules. And these are friggin gospel.

1) NO pin is really worth buying without playing

2) DI t believe that any JJP LE will ever truly be out of production.

It’s only rumor and speculation at this point as to why they are ceasing production. From the distributors I talked to and/or listened to; they’ve said that Jack has not confirmed (or denied really) that it’s a license issue. Rather, it’s exactly what everyone has been saying in that they are preping the line for WOZ YBR and Wonka. I imagine after the WOZs are built, and there’s still demand, they’ll go back to JJPOTC.

That all said, here’s my theory, and again speculation - but a little of both. I’m guessing this title did actually sell better than people think and they are closing in on the 1000 LE mark and that their licensing team didn’t secure JJP to do another version of the game like they did with WOZ and Hobbit. So it makes sense to push the next pins onto the line until they can secure another version of JJPOTC. Again, this is just my speculative opinion. If history has taught us anything about JJP, they are very good at releasing multiple versions of a title.

Thanks this is exactly what I was looking for!

I'm considering canceling my MBrLE and getting one of these instead but I dunno if I can justify spending another $1500 for it

Opinion Only. From my buying experience with POTC the most difficult hurdle for this game is Yes you need to try it first but the game is down right intimidating right from the start button. Meaning the amount of animation, rules, lights, shots, features, even the art is overwhelming. Not in a bad way just seems confusing at first. My wife and I put at Least 50 plays on this game locally and just couldn't figure everything out. After watching a few video tutorials and understanding the rather Simple rules it all clicks and this game is more of a fantastic journey to be honest. I have helped a few local owners explaining how the rules and modes work in less then 15 minutes and the response is always the same "thats not so hard and that makes sense". This was the first game I ever purchased and sold in less then 4 weeks (for full MSRP) to upgrade it to CE because we Knew this game was beyond special and one that would more then likely never leave our collection. Most games I can play 10 times and know if I would like it, this one was too much to consume in just a few plays you just have to walk the plank and dive in.

Yep. Everyone values it at about $10k.

Why is JJP stopping production on this game?

less field toy, no shaker motor, no glare glass, no topper

Only JJP knows.

Did the license have a finite time limit?
Are they clearing the line for the next title?
Both? Something else?

Check with distributors. You should have no problem picking up a standard for $8200 shipped to your door.

Save your money.

Buy the game you won't regret it. The better you get at the game the more you will enjoy it!

As for JJP stopping production let me give you a few thoughts...

JJP stopped production on their best selling game every WOZ only to bring it back. JJP isn't actually telling ANYONE 'hey we're never building the game gain' they're only saying production is stopping on POTC.

They're going to run WOZ NOW why? Because the biggest pinball show is starting this week and they want to bring something new... Yellow Brick Road.

JJP has a playbook and this is right out of it ... they will run WOZ, they will sell them all out, then take Wonka to the next show. Wonka will go on the the line in May, run those for 6 months, then make an announcement:

Guns in Roses is hitting the line in November, but before we do we're going to run another 250 Pirates buy them quick.

I'll bet anyone on that.

The Pirates is going to be something like Black Pearl edition with some slight change like powder coating, a plaque, rails powder coated, etc.

Trust me

Before the latest Toy Story 4 Trailer came out this morning I would have thought the scenarios you describe as being very probable....but with a pinball machine playing a part in the story arc?? No, JJP is doing TS this year and sooner than we expect. I cannot believe JJP would let that sales opportunity slip by....

Yeah but apparently they got the license to do the game without video assets. This is just the rumor obviously so Toy Story is getting pushed back to fix that agreements. Toy Story comes out NOW or comes out an entire year from now what's the difference?

If the rumors are true that they're renegotiating the deal on Toy Story I think Guns and Roses got pushed UP!

Here is what I think is happening...

A) Wonka is waiting for some final approvals. Wonka is waiting for parts to start the line. Once those things are done the game is ready to go. I think Wonka is a finished game.

B) Guns N Roses: Is being created by the same team that did Pirates, which was more or less a finished game well over a year ago. I think JJ has a working Guns N Roses sitting there RIGHT NOW! I think they're working on code, graphics, etc. I think that game might be done within the next 3 to 4 months.

C) I think Pat Lawler finished Wonka more or less several months ago and started working on Toy Story, at the very least 6 months ago. I think they have a damn near ready to go Toy Story.

In short I think they have THREE GAMES sitting there in the final phases Guns and Roses, Wonka, and Toy Story. They're going to code them one by one, create the CGI one by one, and get approvals and source parts.

I think they picked the order and its going to be Toy Story last so they can work on more video IP.

There's also been multiple reports though that Pirates is done for good. JJP isn't as big as Stern and likely can only support X amount of licenses, parts, etc at a time. Wonka, Toy Story, and Guns and Rose's all at once can't be cheap especially if they are going after a lot of licensed assets. JJP management may have said something like "fine, but that means something has to give, renew Pirates or make Toy Story, can't afford to do both".

I would say go for it. It's a great game.

Damn the Torpedos! Full Speed Ahead! Buy it now!!!

I was very close to buying it, but luckily ran into one on location before. I played it and was quite disappointed, so I came back to play it more and more, and definitely felt it wasn't a pinball for me. My issue with this pin is that all the "modes " (they call them chapters, but I'm not sure I see the difference), are based on the same shots, and most of the ones I've seen ask to shoot the same ramps over and over, it felt repetitive and not super compelling, even more because not much happens on the screen once you get them all right.

The pirate ship doesn't have much to do either, except the canon shot that feels very rewarding but probably not worth 10k imo.

I understand that JJP took a different path with this one compared to WOZ and Hobbit and I would surely not argue with any JJPOTC fans as I respect their love for the game, but I would have bought one if I didn't play it and probably sold it not too long after.

If there were ever a game to buy before being played...this is it. A new game with a phenomenal pedigree, from a maker you like, and which pinside ranks as a top 5 pin ever made.

Having said that, I always recommend playing a game beforehand. You just never know how the game feels for you until you play it.

I like what Keith Johnson said about modes that being "Modes are just lit shots on the playfield". There are 125 chapter modes in POTC that all feature the player having to shoot different shots as each character is represented by a different insert on the playfield.

The modes are not filled with video clips from the movies as say Hobbit but I think they are still just as fun due to the great use of lighting effects, callouts, custom music and especially the pick a pirate character feature. At the end of the day those items are more important to the actual gameplay then movie clips.

The pick a pirate feature changes the way modes are played in such a huge way. Character selection has a deep impact on the way modes are progressed and scored in POTC. Once you get a handle on the characters and the pirate lane award feature it will become clear why the ruleset is designed the way it is.

I just ordered the JJP POTC LE.

I haven't played one yet...Haven't even seen one in person. I'm in the "in Jack we trust" group too I guess.

If you are a JJP fan might as well wait and see what the next game looks like

There will always be another game to wait and see for. If the OP wants a Pirates LE and JJP is indeed done making them for good then this is the last chance to get one NIB. I'm sure at TPF someone will ask Jack what's going on with Pirates in regards to them being done for now or done for good. Hope that question is at least answered.

I find it really difficult to judge a game by walking up to it and batting the ball around or shooting for the flashing lights. So many games are not intuitive. Even with my own games after years I’m still discovering little nuances or seeing them in a different light compared to other games.

I always start by studying the playfield - what shots there are, how long they are, where they go, what the mechs do with the ball, etc. If you’ve played many other games it’s usually possible to imagine what they feel like. Then I like to get down and dirty with the rules - are they clever, repetitive, how well do they utilize all the shots, what other games have similiar rules. For the rest you can watch videos in Youtube.

If you still want the game after this approach, I do not think it is taking a great risk to buy it before playing it.

I'll never buy a game without playing it first. I got caught up in the TNA hype train back when that came out and almost bought one NIB without playing it just based on all the positive vibrations. Then I went to a show, played one and found it was a complete snooze fest (or for those who like this pin "it just wasn't for me"). Most others at the show found it to be the same, there was never anyone in line whenever I walked past it. Lesson learned.

I have come to call this the Whoa Nellie effect. Effusive praise and positivity followed by boring reality.

Or get that one too. No rule you can only have one fantastic JJP pin in your house.

the chapters/modes are definitely a weak point in this game so if that is something you value highly i'd definitely suggest trying the game before purchasing.

hopefully with code updates they can change up the approach to the chapters and offer some that are more progressive a'la the hobbit or iron maiden rather than the bland setup they have now. the setup to complete every chapter is literally the same with the only variables being the number of shots you need and the characters you have to shoot. yes this does change things up a bit but there is SO much more that could be done with the playfield to help tell the story.

The character select feature plays heavily into how chapter modes and multiball modes are completed / scored. Certain characters help more with chapters, other multiballs, others wizard modes. If the character feature wasn't in the game the ruleset would suffer greatly but it helps create a lot of fun with ot there.

Also the 5 wizard modes in POTC are along the lines of the wizard modes in Hobbit, LOTR, and WOZ meaning there separate events with unique objectives, animations, sounds, etc.

eh. the characters really don't add that much to the modes in my mind. the objectives remain the same once the mode is started (shoot X amount of arrows/characters). but i'll concede that the character selection does add to the strategy a player approaches the game with.

i agree that the wizard modes are a much better example of progressive modes and ideally that kind of approach could be applied to the standard modes to give them some variety. its a shame that we only have 5 progressive modes in the game and most players will struggle to even see them.

The talk is the next one is right around the corner so there is no need to jump the gun

What I enjoy about the modes in Pirates is each has the player working the entire playfield versus just hitting X number of ramps and loops which many games, including Iron Maiden, have. I've just never been a fan of "super pops" and "super ramps" type modes as they come across as filler modes that feel like a grind after a while. The only thing missing compared to Hobbit modes is video clips which I tend to not to miss as the music, callouts and animations are so good in the game.

Also, setting up and collecting pirate lane awards is another big strategy to the game and the character select feature plays into it.

to be fair "super pops" and "super ramps" aren't a mode per-say in Iron Maiden but rather another overarching objective to get into Cyborg Multiball (which has the added depth of having to collect your power jackpots at the orb shot to lock them in once completed). but i understand what you are getting at.

but using Iron Maiden - think about something like Hallowed By Thy Name and how it leads the player down the story. Hit a lit shot. Then hit the captive ball to break the chains. Hit a remaining lit shot. Now sweep the standup targets to break the bars. Hit your final lit shot to escape and then collect the soul shard at the middle shot. That is progression through a mode in my mind and Pirates completely lacks anything close - sans the wizard modes.

you say that the player is working the whole playfield on Pirates but most of the time it just boils down to shoot the ramp/orbit/spinner/etc. sometimes twice in a mode because 2 characters are on the same shot. its really the same as pretty much every other game. except you don't have to do anything in a specific order. and there are so many targets on the Pirates playfield that aren't used in modes its almost sad when you think of how much is wasted.

regarding the hobbit... the modes are so much more varied than Pirates that i'm not even sure they are comparable. almost every on has some sort of progression required to complete the mode (shoot shots in very specific orders/avoid certain targets/etc). Pirates doesn't even come close. the video clips are just the gravy on the top imo. heck... i'm usually too busy trying to figure out what to do next in the mode that i can't even look up at the clips.

we'll have to agree to disagree on this one. Pirates is still a fine game and hopefully the code updates can really flesh it out.

I know what you mean by progression through modes now, sorry wasn't understanding there for a minute. I suppose JJP could require character modes to be compelted in a specific order but I think that would go against how the ruleset is designed.

The character abilities and chapter mode shots being able to be completed in any order complement each other. One character may spot a female character, another a male character, etc. Ghostbusters does something similar by lighting all the shot inserts, at least for some modes, on the playfield at the start of the mode.

If theres one thing I like about not having to shoot chapter mode shots in order it's that the modes never play the same way. Variety is really what the Pirates ruleset seems to be all about by letting the player play the game dozens of different ways.

I hear people say that, but that doesn't seem to stop newbies. The JJP POTC I have put on location has been very well received. Notably a number of people who are pretty new to pinball and have been only semi-interested until now, have really become hooked on POTC.

I found it A LOT more intuitive and easy to figure out than most other games.

I think it’s easier to learn than BM66.

Don’t do it then. MBrLE is phenomenal

I’m glad I don’t have to choose.

Extra $1500 might make diff

I got mine a few days ago and never played one before. For the price it’s well worth it. Exceeded expectations..

Yeah but is it $10,000 worth of awesome?