Multiballs are the death of a game? Drama queen statement. Just adjust the settings to suit, there's a whole experience waiting that seems to be missing and eluding by making blanket statements like that.
What are they (jjp)doing differently?
Maybe they just choose to follow the money and their target buyer? huo.
I don't think sterns any different as Rush probably would not be any different on location because they appear to be on the same trajectory as jjp. I doubt that Rush will be any more or less successful on location than gnr. Owners thread feels like stems version of gnr. Looks like a great game with the shots, plenty of multiballs and deeper rules, objectives, etc. A huo targeted release. That's my impression anyway. I want one.
Maybe GZ the same? Dunno.
I wouldn't ever consider buying a huo pin that I could master and solve in 6 months to a year... Doesn't mean they aren't fun to play but like the DE gnr it's fun but from a nostalgic perspective but just not a great investment unless you're just more a collector.
With the games like jjp gnr and it's rules, strategy variety, so much to learn, this means no one new to the pin on location likely gets any more than multiballs and lights playing a few games and walking away with nothing but visuals, so that's their assessment. Yeah it's Fun while drinking beer with your buddies for an evening but you don't ever get to know the game in that setting instead just form a shallow opinion.. Probably don't care either and probably not a customer anyway, but still leave with an "expert" opinion.
Nashville has two locations that I know of with gnr and one is a distro, and the times I've been there nobody is really playing it. Same with most all the jjp games there ... Yeah a rare person plugs in 2 dollars as the overwhelmed look forms on their face staring at the playfield and awkwardly drains 3 within a few minutes and walks off. I assume because it's just too complicated to keep playing. They didn't care to play enough to gleen any basics besides hit the ball with the flipper and drain, and definitely not enough to have an opinion on whether it's even fun or not. The old school, less busy, simpler to understand pins all get played regularly from what I can tell. Yes they are half the play price so there's that..
Anyway, I like that the manufacturers seem to be building for huo and not restricting themselves for the on location party crowd which is really just adapting to change and progress because I think it allows the focus to be skies as the limits for the games that will continue to appeal to the home baller, collector and I think that's surely where the money is.
I don't know why I posted all this honestly. It was originally a quick thought with a few sentences then a few more and a few more... The end.