Hobbit.

Keith Johnson/Ted Estes.

LTG : )

Oh man, I gotta say TBL. What a perfect pin that is looking to be...

I'd say Hobbit cuz I like the theme better. Game play wise no idea.

I love the little touches it has, moments from the film captured in the artwork. It comes with a carpet, and the music I heard in a clip was superb... I also think the screen is more what you need on a pin. Tot too flashy or distracting...

Played both at expo and TBL blows the hobbit away. Both are preorders which I can't condone though

TBL design is done. Hobbit isn't. And the code, I think, will lift Hobbit to a great pin. Not sure about the code on TBL or if it will even be completed with an untested company. Love the look of that machine, though!

Given the two, I would definitely go TBL just on theme alone. However, with that same $8k, I can get a Cirqus Voltaire and maybe 1/2 Addams Family, both of which are more important to me.

TBL would be a bit riskier don't you think since JJP is stateside and has released WOZ already.

Good point. It would also be interesting to see how they handle support. I always feel bad for people overseas who have to wait a long time just to get one stinking part.

TBL because you already have WOZ, and TBL seems like it'd be popular in a bar setting.

I'd say consider a Stern title like TWD or AC/DC, though. Cheaper, already available, and should still do extremely well earnings wise.

I would say TBL. There is risk involved with both. TBL has a more appealing layout to me. I'm going to guess and say it will be way easier to pick up TH sometime down the road, TBL maybe not so easy.

TH has a lot going for it also but if it were me and I wanted both, I'd probably go with TBL first.

Lebowski....I'm partial to the theme...but I also feel that the layout, art, humor, mechanical features and overall COOL factor puts it in the lead.

TBL for killer theme

There's zero reason to preorder TBL. It's not a limited run so wait until they actually start making machines and you get a chance to play it. Just look at the issues that other start ups are going through. When they start shipping machines and have proven they can produce buy it if you like it.

I think TH is a much safer bet as JJP has at least made one pinball machine, not without lots of lessons learned though. Only time will tell which machine is better and at the end of the day it may come down to your personal preference.

tbl all the way. get hobbit used at a greater discount down the road if it turns out ok. there will be plenty more hobbits then lebowskis in the used market.

Does it sway yours? I mean, do you enjoy WOZ enough to invest in another JJP pin? Like jgentry, I know I have more confidence in JJP; it has produced WOZ (albeit with delays and myriad challenges) and boasts a Hobbit team with a solid pedigree. The code will be deep and impressive, and I expect the final art package, playfield toys, shots and RGB lighting (best in the industry?) to combine for a special pinball experience. Don't misunderstand me, I think TBL looks amazing, but I'm eager to see the final animations, sounds and software. Oh, and Jack's factory is about a 70 minute drive from my house so I'm hoping to see the latest version of TH before the end of the year.

There were a few reasons! $500 bones off the price (that's alot of cheddar) chrome trim upgrade and a sweet ass custom rug that is gunna tie my man cave together.

TBL all the way (not even close) ......next

here's the correct answer. Have you played both 50 times or more? If not, you do not have enough information to make the decision. Nobody on this site can make it for you. You might not like either.

I've played 50 games on WOZ.

I've only played 10 games on TBL. I already like the TBL more than WOZ. But I have not played it enough to know if I would want to buy one.

TBL. No contest. Wait until it's available though. No need to preorder at this point.

Both are great themes, but Hobbit is unlikely to make me laugh hard enough to piss my pants. TBL all day, every day.

Too early to say. Wait to see the finished product for both. We know TH will have awesome code but still have not seen all the hardware yet. With TBL it looks great and has a killer theme but will it have staying power or not?

Now if Keith did the code for TBL it would be a no brainer!

TBL will be awesome. Very classic and light hearted with incredible detail and quality. Great party game. must have!!!

Hobbit will be a game changer. Wait till you see the final! Incredible art, video, lights, voices and music/ sfx. Great wide open layout with four pop up targets and 30 modes!! Will probably take a few months before code is good.

Perhaps this is simplistic, but........

In general, pre-order nothing. The game will eventually be available as a regular order or on the secondary market. In the meantime, once it is released, go play the game so that you actually know what you may be buying.

Pre-orders may be financially risky if the company you are ordering from files for bankruptcy prior to you receiving your game. You may have difficulty and spend a lot of time collecting your pre-order money.

That said, there may be a few specific, limited circumstances when a pre- order makes sense. One is when you want to support a new, fledging company. From that perspective, a pre-order with JJP for WOZ was a sensible decision. Similarly, if the pre-order gets you a truly limited edition, it may be logical to do so. Interestingly and ironically, that may actually be true for TH SE because the order date
cut off is only 26 days from now. TBL has no such time limitation. Also, if you need the game ASAP, a pre-order makes perfect sense.

If I were to pre-order, I think a huge difference between TH and TBL is the LED screen (actually 2screens if you include the book). After having played WOZ a lot, I am truly amazed by how much better the LED is than the DMD. To me, it is fascinating how much many folks are so excited about the color DMD's, yet they do not appreciate the LED. Color DMD's may be a great improvement on pre-existing games, but could you imagine how much better TRON or TWD, or TBL could be with an LED instead of a DMD?

Bottom line.......it may make sense to order TH SE, specifically because of the time limited number produced. This does not appear to be true for TBL. And add in the whole LED for TH vs. a plain old uni-color DMD for TBL, and TH pre-order is looking a lot better to me.

The Hobbit first. TBL later, assuming I like the movie once I watch it.

TBL! FIRST! THAT IS THE RULE!
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The Big Lebowski has a LCD just like the Hobbit, not a DMD . It is just sized better so that there can still be a full sized backglass along with the LCD .

It has an LCD...but sized better? Ok, I guess for you. It's not like the backglass on TBL is great art or anything. It's a photoshop pic of the actors. I'd rather have more animation space personally. Who looks at their games when they're off anyways?? LOL! So, in summary the LCD in TBL is sized worse than TH.

I like the look of there still being a backglass on pinball , so yes for me( and many others )the sizing of the the LCD on The Big Lebowski is much better . Also the backglass ( as I understand) on The Big Lebowski was done by an artist and not a photoshop pic of the actors . Whatever , to each their own you like the huge LCD and basically no backglass . I like a smaller LCD and the preservation of the backglass . I think the backglass is one of the defining features of a pinball machine and should not be removed .

_{Post edited by trilogybeer: should not be removed}

Honestly I thought they both looked awesome
Equal tie imo

Thats no longer available so it means nothing to the OP.

Might want to look closely again.... it's not photoshop.

You only really laugh at the same joke once or twice. And good luck getting Oye Como Va out of your head. How annoying.

I was in on TH but the moment i saw Smaug (very underwhelming) and his lack of interaction with the ball (basically a rotating head??) I was out!

i actually laughed pretty hard when i saw smaug and his "interaction". i pissed myself when i learned they were increasing the price of the hobbit.

I would say neither based on over priceing . I did play both of them and TH was more of a complete feeling game .
TBL i better looking

TBL all the way for me. Love the theme and the great design DP has come up with so far for layout, features, and artwork.

BESIDES, it's all about bowling man! Duh.

In on TH, saw TBL and got in on that to get the rug! was gonna pull the plug on TH but Jack has listened and TH looks good so now both coming, & Predator.

wait a year see wear things are then.

I would prefer TH, played both but I like TH theme more than TBL. TBL is just another bowling themed pin ... not bad, some really great artworks .... so hmmm may I change my mind .... hmmm taking both .... if I would have the money

I think the hobbit will be the greatest machine ever made in the end.

That's nothing against TBL, but I have super tunnel vision myself right now for TH.

i applaud your passion and would have to buy it if this turns out to be true, in the meantime i'm going long tbl.

What did you expect? Are you even familiar with the Tolkien novel? Smaug is a thinking, rational, sentient being. That he interacts with the player via speech makes perfect sense. No, Smaug is not simply a brutish monolith a la Godzilla or T-Rex from JP who will eat balls, spit them out or singes your facial hair by breathing fire at the player. When the code is finished, I think the range of dialogue will be impressive. I can picture it now: a frantic multi-ball, a blinding and a visually stunning lightshow while Smaug taunts the player in a grave and thunderous bark "I am fire. I am death!"

After Woz, I'm not gonna doubt JJP, but my gut says Lawlor will have created the "greatest pin ever" when his starts getting shipped next year.

He has a lot of pent up creative awesomeness to bring to market after the Stern cost cutting years.

Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man.

It's absolutely Photoshop! It's Universal approved pictures of the actors with a Photoshop paint filter applied. Don't get me wrong - it looks good & looks like "classic" 90's B/W translite paintings....but it's Photoshopped.

All commercial artists use Photoshop now so even the best art of all time ever is going to be Photoshopped.

The dude abides.....TBL!

The Hobbit for me by far, not saying TBL won't be a great pin but the humour will get old quick as will the bowling alley. Looks great but Hobbit is a better theme for pinball, I love TBL film one of my favorites but as pin, no thanks.

Tell that to the people who watch the movie over and over and over and over. Lebowski's humor never gets old.

You don't think "We're going on an adventure!" will get old? All pinball machines have a finite amount of phrases to play. Every game will be "repetitive"...but funny is always funny!