Very cool, @pinball. If you ever want someone to play some games with, I'll bring the food.

I agree romulusx . Give it a rest Skyemont .

Had a blast playing this with my son at Game Galaxy in Smyrna,TN.

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Can't believe I opened this up for Christmas! Also, would like to add that it has been playing flawlessly since opening the box. No issues at all. Now I need to start watching those tutorials.

A couple of questions regarding mylar on this game:

1) do I need to wax then place the mylar down? This will be the first time I have applied mylar to a nib playfield with clearcoat. My past experience has been with non-cleaercoated older games where you wax first so can remove mylar later without damage to the paint.

2) for a HUO machine, do I need to add the included mylar? I know this is super subjective and some folks never do and some plaster it all over. I just found it interesting that they included DIY mylar instead of just doing it at the factory like they did around the pops, etc. Didn't know if was included only for those games going on location or for everyone.

How do you get it to display the pictures it takes. At a location the game would scroll through the high scores with the pirate photos. Mine does not do this. Can't seem to find it in the settings.

Figured out the wanted posters issue from a previous post. Just takes a long time to scroll through with the flippers to get to them. I would like to see them come up more often/quicker. Also, would like to have an easier way to random select a character other than the flipper code.

That said, this game is fun! I finally made it to a movie mini wizard mode last night for the first time on my last ball. You really have to think and plan out a strategy to get to these. I like that you can play this game just for the fun shots, mechs, and multiballs or choose to play towards completing chapters and getting to the movie wizard modes. I can't imagine ever seeing the final wizard...it is a long journey to get there.

Anyone else getting black screen on the bonuses?

Ahhh...yes, this be the bug! ARGHH!

This is my only hang up with this game...literally.

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The nipple is there. Maybe I need to stimulate it more. In all seriousness, it should be longer. I noticed the nipple/soft plastic cover right after. I took the picture.

My left ship flipper does not consistently fire all the way. Sometimes full and sometimes half. The flipper switch at the button is good. I've messed with the EOS switch and that seems fine. So to questions: what could be the issue and how do I remove the ship from the playfield to fix it?

Looks like it was a combination of EOS and coil power. An adjustment of the switch and bumping power up 2 notches did the trick.

Now that I have this game dialed in, it is a dream to shoot! Unfortunately, I am now to the point where I am trying to progress towards the wizard modes instead of just having fun with the muliballs. Man, this game can be brutal. I will have an amazing game followed by 10 horrible ones. Amazing how fast this game can turn on you!

Ok, side mirrors: who to get from (pinballsidemirrors.com?) and what type? B/W, JJP Hobbit/WOZ, or JJP Dialed In?

Thanks! I'm not into custom shooter rods, but yours looks awesome. May have to think on that one.

@Yelobird, Delt31 got his from pinballsidemirrors.com and ordered the JJP Hobbit/WOZ type. The do offer the black that you are looking for. I've ordered from them before but found the process frustrating. I had one set not arrive. USPS reimbursed me and I had to ordered another set. Guess I will give them another go.

I cannot lock a ball in the chest on the fly. I have to cradle and hit dead on. Even then it doesn't make it up about 40 to 50 percent of the time. The fork works. I've already cranked the right flipper up three past standard. Should I keep increasing flipper power or is there something else I should check. It is level at 6.5 degrees.

Oh boy...what two screws?

Wow! Thanks for the fast reply! They were loose. Wasn't tough to fix. Putter her back together now. Will update.

Woohoo! Fork ramp shoots like butter! Thanks for the help, mates. Just needed to tighten those screws!

This post: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/jjp-pirates-of-the-caribbean-official-owners-and-fan-club/page/46#post-4750534

Put mirrors in...boy they are a tight fit!

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For me was mostly adjusting switches. A LOT of switches on this game because a lot of toys.

I still can't figure out when it takes the picture at the end. I guess it depends on lighting. If room is dark, then usually when hit END...but if well lit seems like when I am entering my letters.

Just walked into the house to find my son playing Pirates. He got ARGH Frenzy for the first time and had the biggest grin on his face!
This is what it's all about for me. Thanks JJP crew...mission accomplished.

This just started happening. My trough VUK launches a ball and bounces into this little recess. So the auto plunger does not register. In a multiball the balls stack in the lane because the auto plunge doesn't fire. And re-checked to make sure game is level.

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I would pass on the mirrors. I put them in mine and they as re super tight. They scrarch anytime I have to lift the playfield. So, if you do add them, wait a month so you can do any dialing in or modding that needs to be done first.

Can pirates be connected to pinnovators 4 in 1 subwoofer mixer? I tried a 3.5mm y split but when plugged in I get nothing on the sub.

If I tap off the cabinet subwoofer directly, would I still need a preamp or is that signal strong enough since it is directly to the sub?

Thanks guys! Just found out that Pinnovators makes a "universal" tap off the cabinet sub that works with their mixer. You can order as Posi Tap connector or connector that goes to the extra lugs. I'm going to give that a try. Will report back.

For me, I'm using the Pinnovators 4 in 1 mixer to hook 4 games that can run simultaneously off of one sub. Last night my son and I played Hobbit and WOZ and sub was able to mix them so that each of us could hear our own games. Worked really well. Of course, Hobbit is the king when it comes to how great the sub works. Smaug shakes the room when he talks now...and we love it...well, maybe not my wife...but the kids and I do!

Them subs ain't cheap! Lol

Finally pulled mybmirror blades off my game. They are pretty scratch up. Just too tight. Luckily you can never tell they were there since screw holes are below the playfield.

You could just pull the screws and use velcro strips. That's how my laserrific topper attaches.

I have both Hobbit and JJPOTC. My wife and kids (12 and 13) love them both. I bought Hobbit NIB and was lucky enough to be surprised to open a JJPOTC Christmas morning. I really enjoy MB but found myself getting bored and even ignoring it at shows now. Hobbit is cinematic immersive bliss. It is a journey. Smaug multiball is easy to achieve and has a very satisfying intro. My wife and kids and guests love it. Music, callouts, and clips are integrated second to none. Killing Smaug is still my favorite pinball "moment" ever. My son and I were afraid Pirates would suffer from lack of clips and actor callouts and overall lack of the cinematic immersion. That's why we passed on it...but then got the Christmas surprise. You can't judge Pirates based on Hobbit. Where Hobbit has breadth (33 modes) Pirates has depth (layers). When playing with the kids I go for score. When by myself I try to get to the wizard modes (there are 5 of them). There are scoring options that you can dive into as well. So many ways to play this game and I am just starting to scratch the surface. There are 6 multiballs which can be stacked and I use them to help get through modes. There are hurry ups, bonus multipliers, an awesome aargh frenzy, and a video mode (liars dice). The lights and music are standard for JJP which means they are the best in the business. The callouts are just fantastic. They picked the perfect voice actor (first mate, Mr. Gibbs from the movies). Bottom line is both are fantastic games. Hobbit is a bit more polished because it's been out longer, but that just means that Pirates has polish coming. Hobbit is about playing unique modes. Pirates wins on unique shots and toys. You can't go wrong with either. I will preface that after owning Hobbit, I now love those movies and with that kind of immersive experience, I give Hobbit the edge(barely). But Pirates is more fun to play with my family because plundering is truly awesome. Nothing like your kids stealing your gold...or vice versa. Good luck with your decision.

It adds a layer of randomness to the game. It sure puts some crazy spin on the ball. And every so often will piss you off by stopping the ball and then sending it straight down. As they say in the movie and the game, "Everybody's thinking it, I'm just saying it. Pirates!"

No problem. Just want to say that both games are fantastic and will not be leaving. JJP games shine in the home environment because they have so much to discover. If you end up getting Pirates, don't forget to add this little guy. The first mod my wife actually demanded I get.

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As far as bashing, I have found those "x" targets can be punishing. Unless they are lit, I do my best to avoid them.

So pissed right now. Bought Tilt graphics "Kraken" art blades. They looked beautiful. One side done, then moved to next side. Then lowered playfield and RIP! Both sides tore. This cabinet is so damn tight there is no room. Mirrors=scratched. Art blades=torn. Screw you JJP! I will get over it...but pissed at the moment. My advice...leave the sides alone.

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Mirrors on Hobbit have never had a problem and WOZ art blades want in with plenty of room. It may just be my cabinet...but proceed with caution.

That was probably what was tearing mine.

Last night I bent the hinges and roughly cut and taped the tears on the art blades to see if it worked. If it did, then I would get a new set. Turns out it was not my problem. The playfield is literally that tight to the cabinet on my game. There is no way the side protectors would work since the width of 2 art blades is too much for my cabinet. 1 art blade can go in, but not two. It's a shame since I do like art or mirrors. At least I didn't do any damage. FYI, if you do bend those things be careful, they bend easy.

They look great. Guess my cabinet is tighter for some reason. I tried twice (repaired them and tried again). Oh well. Glad it is just mine.

I figured out my problem was the playfield plastics on the right were mounted so the edge hangs off the playfield by about 3mm. In your first picture I see the same thing. It was a royal POA to loosen all the screw and nuts, but it will slide once you do. Not sure if I will remake the investment in blades, but that is the fix if you want to try.

I also had bad luck with mirrors AND side art. They don't take that long to ship...so wait and see what your cabinet looks like as far as room. I do not see a need for cliffys on this one but personal preference with your comfort level comes first. For me, it is pinball and HUO is unlikely to cause major damage. Check out Mod couple's stuff. I would recommend the Dead men tell no tales sign, the pile of gold around the action button, the cannon, and the rails for the Dauntless for sure. I really like the shooter rod sign and my whole family (and friends) love Jack the Monkey. Have fun with your game.

In case anyone else has this issue. During my party last night, the left ship flipper would not consistently flip fully. On coil test it flipped fully every time. EOS switch looked good and the bat was tight. Turned out that increasing power to 24 (default is 19 I think) fixed it. Not sure if it was just my game or that all my games were running and maybe were getting slightly less power. But, there you go community in case someone else experiences this.

Must be someone else, no Pinstadiums on mine.

You need to get the Hobbit Topper. My wife got it for my birthday because she said it looked lonely without it.

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I heard this too. Can someone confirm and let us know exactly what it is?

FYI: for random character hold left flipper and flip right 5 times quickly

I had to increase the coil strength of my left flipper by about 4 or 6 more than default to get it to work like the right. You may want to try that. Go to settings, coil strength.

PinPeet , is the left flipper going up at all? Mine had intermittent power. I would flip it multiple times and sometimes it would flip full and sometimes not all the way. I agree that adjusting coil strength may not be the best first move. However, I would go to test mode, then individual coil test, then test the left upper playfield flipper. If it flips fine under coil test, then I would adjust the power. If it still does not flip, then I think you need to adjust flipper bat placement. That is how I diagnosed my problem.

In regards to Liar's dice. you can hit the action button to change what your lane award is. When I don't feel like playing it, or if there is something else I need or would rather have, I change it. Roll over all lanes and hit the Pirate award switch next to the right chest lock target. Bing! there you go.

I've been noticing this too. Is this a bug?

Did my Depths fix and my Tortuga guide fix last night. Just wanted to say thank you to everyone who posted how-to and especially pictures on these fixes. Made it a heck of a lot easier. So, thank you to my fellow Buccaneers! Yaaarrgghh!

In the past, JJP has had one major production line and one smaller line. So, in order to do 1 or maybe even 2 games this year (+/- another WOZ run), Pirates has to come off the line. I imagine WOZ re-run will be on the minor line with whatever new title will be on the main line. After WOZ, maybe another Pirates on the minor? Guess they will wait and see if there is demand.

I tightened my screws on the kickout guide (mine were loose) and that thing fires out FAST now. It shoots straight to the middle of the left flipper on factory settings every time now.

What he said...although I did not use locktite. However, if I have to go through that again, I will. BE CAREFUL YOU DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE LITTLE SPACERS UNDER THE TOM MOTOR. Took me forever to fish it out from under the plastic in the back.

I own all JJP's except for DI and the only thing I can say that POTC is lacking in comparison is a big "moment". WOZ has Melting the Witch and Hobbit has killing Smaug (and let's face it, every Wizard mode has one at it's intro). But POTC has the best shots of the three by far and has that JJP over the top mech thing going for it. I don't think we will see anything major added to this game as coding is probably done for the foreseeable future except for polish. But, you never know. WOZ got lots of later updates as did Hobbit and DI, so I would never count out JJP's coding department...which is the best or at least on par with the best. JJPOTC is just a great, balanced game. The one thing that the lack of assets did for the game is it did make it faster. With no reason to stop the ball and look at the screen to watch a scene, it means the ball keeps moving. And maybe that is where it's magic lies. Anyhow...just my thoughts. My only gripe after owning for almost 3 months is that I can't seem to beat any of the wizard modes....ARRGH! Gosh I want to get further into the fountain of youth wizard to see what happens next. Until then..."select your character!"

Do you think you will ever get to break the curse...I don't. I have yet to be able to get to more than 1 wizard mode on 3 ball.

Check it in coil test from menu.

BIG shoutout to Tiltgraphics for amazing customer service. Gave me a second chance at putting on the fantastic pin blades. Also thanks to Pinball Life for the side art protectors.

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That pop bumber mod was done using the action figure cut in half. You have to obtain one and donit yourself. Yelobird posted how to do this earlier. It is cool, but I'm staying with Tortuga Tom for now.

Watch out little doggy, that Kraken's gonna get you!

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Use the wet method. Takes all the pressure off.

Look at my posts and villathrills. Both have posted pics with tiltgraphics art. It looks fantastic.

Last night I played Fountain of Youth wizard. Hit all the colored shots ("killing" the people on the screen), then it was just over. Did it time out...or was there something else I was supposed to be doing? If not, it was a huge disappointment. I thought there may be stages to get through. I really didn't get that many points (even less points then previous attempts at it). I also wish there was a bit of a pause to look at the instructions on the screen before the mode starts.

2 drops of dawn dish soap mixed in a spray bottle of water. Spray on back of decals. This allows you to move them around. When they are at the proper position, smooth them down. You are only spraying a mist, so you don't have water running all over the place. Once you smooth them down, then grab a towel and wipe the excess water around the edges. The soapy water allows them to be repositioned and slid while you work before the adhesive sets in. Google it...there are a few youtube vids about it. It is how I've done all my art blades and even our custom decals on our boat.

"well..does that mean cheaper monitors on POTC Standard and LE than on WOZ, DI and Hobbit? And the old original style only on the POTC CE?
Only a JJP collector would be able to check on that"

See for yourselves.
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For me, it was just making sure it was totally secure in the latch on the right side. You need to make sure it is fully set in there. The slide will go down even if the notch is not fully engaged. Hope that makes sense.

I re-watched them recently and found myself really enjoying #4. I'd say it is my second favorite. I just can't stand Elizabeth after the first one. Just don't buy that she could hold her own against all those pirates and monsters...she's so tiny. I really do enjoy how #5 ties everything together.

Big ones.

He (Kaneda) is predisposed to not like the game. He has gone to great lengths to show he hates the license and the films. He only like Franchi art (his head is way up his...). He rants forever about the delay in production. He hated the JJP Standard, LE, CE system because it is not the same as Stern. He has made it clear he does not like Keefer's deep rules (funny, because he touts LOTR as the greatest Stern ever). No matter what, he will never love this game. Which is ridiculous given the 3 things he professes to believe:

1) pinball needs to be a world under glass, which JJPOTC is in spades

2) people should not judge too soon and should be allowed to change their minds (this only seems to apply to people whom he has offended)

3) value is in the BOM, quality, and mechs not "fun = value"

He won't admit his own failure in lack of objectivity. I will never like Iron Maiden because I just can't stand their music or their style. I would never be a fan of the game regardless of the layout or gameplay. But I can appreciate it for being unique and interesting. I can appreciate that for a lot of folks it is fun and their favorite game. Because of that, I dont feel the need to crap on the game whenever possible. That is the problem with Kaneda. He professes and talks a lot, but then does the opposite. Most recently doing a podcast titled, "LE buyers are wimps." Well, you own a Super LE, Mr. Kaneda, that makes you a super wimp. Pull the plank out of your own eye and respect people who paid their hard earned money for the best darn world under glass out there with a unique new layout and code. And to quote the next future great release, "I said, good day sir!"

Which is amusing because the rulesheet/flow chart is far simpler than WOZ or Hobbit. I guess he is waiting for "Chutes and Ladders the Pin".

Not really.

And for on location, I've played JJPOTC at game Galaxy at Smyrna, TN and at Pincincinatti and both played perfectly. I hear that Sunshine sets their games up to be difficult (settings, posts, height, etc).

Does the standard have Tortuga Tom and the other spinning pop? If not, I would really reconsider. I saw a Hobbit standard once, and the regular pop bumpers, instead of the barrel pops made me cringe and be thankful that I didn't even know the standard existed when I bought my LE.

Ugh, bit the bullet and actually listened to Kaneda's review. Please, do not listen to this thing, it will only make you shake your head and feel dumber. My favorite quote, "I look down and say, where are the toys in this game." Closely followed by, "the disc does nothing in this game." My goodness, that disc makes the ball do the craziest thing. I've been a pretty constant listener, but I think I will have to put his podcast on hold for a while. All I have to say, Mr. Kaneda, is even before I owned one, on location my son had a blast on Pirates and figured it out after 1 game.

It would be nice that if they ever do another run, that they only do SE's. Would be a nice reward/appreciate for us LE folks. But based on WOZ and Hobbit history, I doubt it.

I'm not sure why folks are getting nervous about parts. It's not like JJP is going away. Just stopping production on Pirates (for the time being). I can still get parts for my F-14 Tomcat. Plus, with home use only care, things should be okay. My parents still have their HUO 2003 Stern Monopoly and all parts on that are good.

JJP actually owns the WOZ license. They don't have to renew it over and over. So they can make runs anytime they want.

Just get a new tip. Super easy to replace. I would actually recommend getting a Titan silicone one and pick up some red silicone flipper bands while you are at it.

Just ordered a Capt Jack toy. Tortuga Tom's days are numbered.

Crazy to think the LE's are almost sold out. So glad I got one. This game is a blast. If it turns out to continue to be one of JJP's best, wonder if they will make another run in the future. If they had to re-up the license, any hope that they would try to get some more assets while they were at it?

To respond to an above post, my strategy is to always have a chapter going. I start one whenever possible and by stacking mutliballs I can get through a number of chapters before a ball ends. Tia Dalma is the best way to getting to a wizard mode for the first time. Once you've done that a few times, the next challenge, at least for me, is to play more than one wizard mode in a game. Currently Elizabeth Swan is my strategy for this as she immediately lights 3 chapters at the start of a ball. I've also realized how I can greatly improve scoring with lighting multiple skulls and really trying to complete chapters. Trying to complete chapters has also really helped my shooting in this game as well, for obvious reasons.

And in regards to Bootstrap Bill on the Spinning pop...man you guys are cruel, hasn't he suffered enough. Now you've got to torture him with an eternity of spinning...he's going to be Barfing Bill! Part of the crew...part of the ship!

Wow! Pretty to cool to now have a truly limited JJP LE. But sad that others won't have the pleasure of shooting this game. The more I play it, the more I realize how unique all the shots are. It's like a "best of" playfield layout with the addition of a phenomenal upper playfield.

That is by far, the best pirate I ever saw! And 'ole Tortuga Tom solved the non-centered topper issue for me as well.

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Hah! Thanks. Didn't even look at the screen when I took the picture. And thank you for making this game even more beautiful. Your mods fit right in. Especially the Kraken. Looks like it was part of the original design.

My wife loves the dog and monkey. The Kraken, Dead men tell no tales sign, cannon, and coins around action button are must haves.

Any idea what size washers and where to get them?

Happened to look at my sling posts last night and have some concerns. Nothing major yet, but there is some early signs of wear. I will probably put silicone washers to protect. Looks similar to the TNA issue. Maybe a result from modern day clearcoat process?

Build date was in December. Seeing very minor scratching on one of the right sling post bases and possible "heaping up" of paint around the lower right sling post. Signs that TNA folks saw before theirs cracked/chipped. Left sling posts look okay. I did turn down my sling coil power about 2 months ago because I was getting a lot of air balls over the flippers into the outlane or from sling shooting ball onto wireforms.

Just want to point out that this is nothing major and no damage done yet. But, I just want to do some preventative maintenance.

I may do star posts + washers...belt and suspenders.

I have no trouble post passing. Do it all the time. Have factory posts and 6.5 degrees.

Yep. My kids love taking my character.

I take back my concerns regarding the stock posts and clear chipping. Went to put washers under them last night (found fiber ones at Home Depot) and saw that only one had any issue. Looks like clear bunched up just to one side, probably from over tightened post at factory. No chipping or paint damage. All others look fine. Not enough for me to put star posts on. Both my WOZ and Hobbit have same posts and no chipping. My washers ended up being too small (#8 screws are used, not #6), so going to leave it stock. Obviously put star posts on if you want. But I think all the cliffy's and star posts may be overkill if it is just going to be HUO.

Snapping the monitor in is a bit tricky. I thought mine was defective for about a month until my son and I really fiddled with it. You really have to make sure it doesn't just "click" in, but that it seats all the way back into the groove. Hard to describe, because it is tricky, but take some time and really mess with it before you start stacking blocks.