(Topic ID: 186884)

JM vs JD wrt my current collection

By damadczar

6 years ago


Topic Heartbeat

Topic Stats

  • 37 posts
  • 24 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 6 years ago by Luppin
  • No one calls this topic a favorite

You

Linked Games

Topic poll

“Which would you rather get?”

  • Judge Dredd 30 votes
    65%
  • Johnny Mnemonic 13 votes
    28%
  • Elvira and the Party Monsters (long shot surprise trade) 3 votes
    7%

(46 votes)

Topic Gallery

View topic image gallery

IMG_9066 (resized).JPG

#1 6 years ago

So I'm looking to trade my NBAFB for a different pin, and I've got two decent choices lined up: JM and JD.
Given the rest of my collection (TS, T2, ES), which do you think would go better, and why?

JM
- played it a few times, really liked how fast it was
- even though I liked the movie (love cheesy scifi), I hate the graphics on this pin
- looks really cool LEDed up
- have to drive a few hours to pick it up

JD
- never played it, but like what I see on videos and the music is great
- fantastic artwork
- love the look of the deadworld mod
- I generally don't like wide-bodies
- local

I'm sorta torn, really. Not sure which I'd want to get. There's an off chance I could trade for a EATPM, but I'm not sure I want to b/c the pf is apparently bad, even though I love that game.

Thanks for your opinions,

Steven

#2 6 years ago

I'd say go with JD! It's a wide body, but it's still wicked fast.

The most rational recommendation I can give you is to try JD before deciding, if that's somehow possible. It's one of my favorite games, but that doesn't mean it would be the same for you.

#3 6 years ago

I'd personally chose JM, and that's coming from a Dredd owner. JD has it all, the art, the features, the theme, the options (conventional and Super Game), etc.... And for some reason it's a just miss. I don't know how to describe it outside of that. It should be a lot more fun than it is.

I may very well be in the minority here, but I find JM to be the far more enjoyable title.

#4 6 years ago

Either game would be huge improvement over NBAFB

I would probably say go for JD and don't let the widebody fool you because the game can play pretty fast if dialed in and setup properly. I love the artwork on it too and thank god it isn't themed after the actual movie and based on the comic. The deadworld mod is one of my favorite physical ball locks but some might argue that it slows the game down because it takes a while to unload when you start multiball. As you can see in my current collection I couldn't decide so I own both JM and JD. I have also sold them both before in the past and regret it but glad that I got nicer examples second time around.

#6 6 years ago

I own and love both games but i am going to have to go with judge dredd as i think it has better artwork, i think the dead world is awesome, and the game has pretty awesome animations on the DMD and music. But, johnny is also an awesome game with it's cool features.

#7 6 years ago
Quoted from BeaglePuss:

I'd personally chose JM, and that's coming from a Dredd owner. JD has it all, the art, the features, the theme, the options (conventional and Super Game), etc.... And for some reason it's a just miss. I don't know how to describe it outside of that. It should be a lot more fun than it is.
I may very well be in the minority here, but I find JM to be the far more enjoyable title.

This is pretty bang on. I feel exactly the same way. I've owned JD a few times over the years. The honeymoon phase lasts about a week. The game has an amazing layout, but the rules are a complete let down and don't utilize the amazing layout enough. The modes get boring, but you won't really play them anyhow. You can fast track to the wizard mode by focusing on the multi ball. Complete it and you are at the wizard mode. JD is a game I want to love. I love the comic, the character, the artwork, and music. I think the layout is awesome. If the rules were re-visited, this could be a great game. Unfortunately as it sits, nope.

JM is a blast. It's super fast. The modes are fun. The wizard mode is unique and exceptionally fun. It does suffer from a scoring flaw: Gigabytes spinner. To get a good score on the game, you have to light the spinner and that's disappointing. The modes and multiball are really fun, but the points are meaningless compared to lighting the spinner. In spite of this, I enjoy the game and look forward to getting mine 100% by the fall. I really wish I could get the code for the Matrix pinball. That looks incredible and uses the same layout. Wish they would have investigated releasing that as a kit of some sort.

Good luck!

#8 6 years ago

I owned a JD for several years and currently own a JM and for me I vastly prefer Johnny over Dredd. On paper I think JD wins as it has better art, more flippers, a more unique layout, and more features but JM is the more enjoyable game as I think the layout shoots better and it has superior rules.

JM Pros: One of the fastest flow games out there. Really fun to shoot! I like the strategy with the glove matrix, great rules, one of the best wizard modes in pinball. Love me some Powerdown!

JM Cons: Spinner millions exploit. artwork and theme aren't that great.

JD Pros: Great art, cool theme, unique layout

JD Cons: Wizard mode is disappointing, layout is unique but just isn't my favorite to shoot. Super wide (and easy) left ramp, crime scene inserts are pretty much worthless. I should like this game more but I just don't.

For me it's Johnny all the way!

#9 6 years ago

I definitely have to go with JD. Nice shots unique layout, great artwork. JM is OK but not a pin I would add to my collection, but of course tastes differ.

#10 6 years ago

After having owned all 3 (JM, JD, and NBAFB), I'd definitely give the nod to Johnny. All of MikeS' pro comments for JM are 100% spot on.

Go for the glove!

Later,
EV

#11 6 years ago

Have both and prefer JM over JD. JM has super speed and superior rules. Though I really like Dredd too but JM just always draws me in for that one more game.

#12 6 years ago

JM for sure...I have owned both and kept the JM. Probably the deepest pin in the $2k-$3k price range...

#13 6 years ago

I own all 3 and like all 3 for very different reasons.

NBA = quick mindless fun
JM = flow shots and super butter smooth returns. Glove is a buzz kill after the novelty wears off but can be a needed breather after a furious set of made shots.
JD = one of the bext flowing wide bodies, great use of all flippers, fun toy, and fun multiballs and modes

I would make the choice purely on Widebody or not.

#14 6 years ago

I'd give the edge to johnny if your a player. fun game with a great set of rules. but damn that spinner exploit

I had one and got rid of it too soon because of a trade I couldn't refuse. I would love to own one again

JD is fun and a cool pin but like others have said it just feels like something is missing. I would still love to own one for a little bit but everyone I know that got one has let it go in a year or less

#15 6 years ago

Both are good machines, but based on your current collection (specifically owning a T2), I'd go with JD. I also like NBAFB though, which seems to be your lowest rated machine. Not sure how much of a shakeup you are looking to make, but trading T2 and NBAFB for JM and JD might be an option. The theme of T2 is way better, but IMHO the gameplay on JM is far superior. With a better theme and toy JM could have easily been a top-10 machine. The glove just seems like a waste, but despite that it's still a really fun game.

#16 6 years ago

I also own both JM and JD it's tough to choose between the two. They both complement each other in a collection so I would say buy both if you could lol. But that's probably not an option.

But between the 2 there's no right or wrong answer. Here's my personal experience.

When I bought my JD (which I bought first) I had the same debate as you JM vs JD but with DM and LAH as 3 and 4 respectively. JD won with its features theme and art. Played it a bunch and enjoy it.

Over a year later I was offered a JM which I bought played a bunch and also enjoyed.

I would have to say that I played JM more than JD. Both can be extremely frustrating at times play wise for me but I'm not an above average player. JD seems to need a little more maintenance with its notorious opto issues but that could just be because the previous owner didn't take good care of it like my previous JM owner.

#17 6 years ago

Also other factors to consider is the shape and price...if same price and same shape, I think JD is a more valuable pin. The other thing is half the coolness of JD is the dead world mod. If it doesn't work or missing then it detracts from the price in my opinion. Be very careful there are lot's of JDs out there with non working or poorly working crane mech. If you're patient and study up you can get most of them working properly but it's a hard acquired skill. The game is one of Trudeau's best..he's a weird designer, most of his games are cool designs with some kind of a flaw. JD is lucky in that respect. Oh, also the guitar riff and call outs on the JD is pretty awesome, it has very cool and unique shots in the upper right hand area. With that said, If you have a small collection you should choose JM it's a gem of a game.

#18 6 years ago

I appreciate all the replies.
I'm hopefully gonna go play a JD in the next week to test that guy out.

#19 6 years ago

I like both, but go for the widebody...JD.

#20 6 years ago

JOHNY gets my vote, personally think that JM an Baywatch are the most underrated games I've came across.

#21 6 years ago

JM is one of my favorite pins ever... love the game, speed, flow, and how the player can manipulate how to attack the game for scores.

I'd easily go to JM over Dredd

#22 6 years ago
Quoted from kvan99:

Also other factors to consider is the shape and price...if same price and same shape, I think JD is a more valuable pin. The other thing is half the coolness of JD is the dead world mod. If it doesn't work or missing then it detracts from the price in my opinion. [snip...] With that said, If you have a small collection you should choose JM it's a gem of a game.

So the JD doesn't have deadworld mod. Faded on left side (but right colors look great). It also needs a cleaning. Eagle topper is broken. Works 100%.

The JM also has some issues: not perfect backbox, pf has a quarter sized hole in it in an out of the way location, glove doesn't work right. Most converted to leds. Plays 100% minus the glove.

Neither one are what I would consider the best shape compared to my NBAFB trade.

#23 6 years ago

Hmmm.... the glove on JM could be an easy fix... or could be a complete nightmare

#24 6 years ago

Well the hole in the JM is considered damage..so stay away. The JD doesn't sound all that great but lucky for you the eagle is now available at Planetary Pinball. So my advice is get the JD. The deadworld is all adjustments...forget about what you've heard about optos. If the crane mech is not worn or bent to hell it can be adjusted.
Edit: where is the hole in rhe JM's pf?

#25 6 years ago

You said you don't like widebodies, but a widebody would be a nice change up in your lineup. A lot of JMs have glove issues that are not easily fixed and badly faded (pink instead of red) cabinets. Add to that the hole in the JM playfield and I say you should buy the JD.

#26 6 years ago
Quoted from kvan99:

Well the hole in the JM is considered damage..so stay away. The JD doesn't sound all that great but lucky for you the eagle is now available at Planetary Pinball. So my advice is get the JD. The deadworld is all adjustments...forget about what you've heard about optos. If the crane mech is not worn or bent to hell it can be adjusted.
Edit: where is the hole in rhe JM's pf?

Yeah, I'm not sure where the pf hole is. I'm supposed to get some pictures soon. He said it was where the ball never goes, so I'm assuming it's under some plastic or something... but if that were the case why mylar it?

Quoted from littlecammi:

You said you don't like widebodies, but a widebody would be a nice change up in your lineup. A lot of JMs have glove issues that are not easily fixed and badly faded (pink instead of red) cabinets. Add to that the hole in the JM playfield and I say you should buy the JD.

This is a good point. I once owned a DM, and I traded it for 2 system 11s simply b/c I just wasn't a fan of that game. It even wasn't the theme. I just got tired of getting multiball all the time. Didn't make it special. I like to work for my multiball I guess. And obviously I wouldn't say no to a widebody if it was TZ or something like that. So it's a good point that if I added a widebody back it'd be shaking things up.

#27 6 years ago
Quoted from damadczar:

pf has a quarter sized hole in it in an out of the way location

Not sure if this is the hole he's talking about underneath the ramp but it's there to run wires to the flashers, spot light and ramp switches. And it's the size of a quarter.

IMG_9066 (resized).JPGIMG_9066 (resized).JPG

#28 6 years ago

LOL... that would be funny.

#29 6 years ago

JD easily and i don;t care for JD that much.

The thing aboot JM is it's fast, until it smells the glove. But mostly it's fast....wow it's so fast <-- that doesn;t impress me much but works for a lot of folks.

Grand Lizard either way

EDIT: oops I'd rather have Elvira over those by a LONG shot.

#30 6 years ago
Quoted from TheLaw:

JD easily and i don;t care for JD that much.
The thing aboot JM is it's fast, until it smells the glove. But mostly it's fast....wow it's so fast <-- that doesn;t impress me much but works for a lot of folks.
Grand Lizard either way

Come on, Law... the glove is one of the great beauties of the game. Decision making time! What choices will you make, as a player, to advance in the game?! It's awesome (plus, once you drop a ball... double flippers and you're launching a new one!).

#31 6 years ago
Quoted from 27dnast:

Come on, Law... the glove is one of the great beauties of the game. Decision making time! What choices will you make, as a player, to advance in the game?! It's awesome (plus, once you drop a ball... double flippers and you're launching a new one!).

If it worked like you expect things to work in 2017 it would be cool
***Spoilers**** I unboxed it in 1995 and the glove wasn't that great then and the game wasn't that fun either

You just smell the glove because it's a poor man's RBION matrix

#32 6 years ago
Quoted from TheLaw:

If it worked like you expect things to work in 2017 it would be cool
***Spoilers**** I unboxed it in 1995 and the glove wasn't that great then and the game wasn't that fun either
You just smell the glove because it's a poor man's RBION matrix

Maybe I've gotten lucky (knock on wood)... but the glove on my JM has been solid.

**the kiss of death, I know...**

#33 6 years ago

Dredd, easily. I've owned Dredd, Fastbreak, and Johnny. I traded Dredd, missed it almost immediately, and since I found another it's a keeper. Johnny, by contrast, had very little staying power.

Dredd has a phenomenal layout and a lot of great modes that make proper use of that epic playfield; each mode has you going for something different, and there are plenty of easter eggs.

Johnny has a few shots with white triangles in front of them in each mode, and it just feels uninspired. And if you want to dominate, just light the spinner and forget pretty much everything else.

Dredd > Fastbreak >>> Johnny

#34 6 years ago
Quoted from Collin:

Dredd > Fastbreak >>> Johnny

Goddamn this is rough. Like a whom's whom gallery of shit. Fastbreak or johnny.....uff so wrong.

Wow I think i might actually take JM over FB....first for everything

#35 6 years ago
Quoted from TheLaw:

Goddamn this is rough. Like a whom's whom gallery of shit. Fastbreak or johnny.....uff so wrong.
Wow I think i might actually take JM over FB....first for everything

I got Fastbreak recently, so I may be in the honeymoon phase, but I think it's got a lot of objectives, including two groups of modes and a very attainable wizard mode (which I find super appealing)

Dredd is also one of my few favorite games ever, so I may just have poor taste.

#36 6 years ago
Quoted from Collin:

I got Fastbreak recently, so I may be in the honeymoon phase, but I think it's got a lot of objectives, including two groups of modes and a very attainable wizard mode (which I find super appealing)
Dredd is also one of my few favorite games ever, so I may just have poor taste.

Ha! Yeah, I agree NBAFB has a lot to do. And making all the varied shots is pretty difficult. I think the shots are great actually. Problem is the theme just kind bores me. I played it at a pinball expo last year and liked it, so I picked up a good deal when it showed up. But having it at home is different from the expo. Getting kinda bored.

But I loved basketball in the 90's, I like the music and everything. Just kinda meh.

At this point, it's likely gonna be JD, or nothing at all (aka, just keep it). I'll make that decision when I go to play dredd this week.

#37 6 years ago

JM no doubt. Great game, very fast, good rules. Just install a slow moving spinner and its one of the best pin out there. JD looks cool, but after short time you dont play it much.

On a side note: in the poll JD is winning. But the comments favour JM. I know why: more expensive pins always win polls (fast, no effort advertising by the owners). This is why, also in the TOP100, I look at comments, not at scores/ranking. Comments are on average more reliable.

Promoted items from the Pinside Marketplace
$ 30.00
Playfield - Other
YouBentMyWookie
Other

Reply

Wanna join the discussion? Please sign in to reply to this topic.

Hey there! Welcome to Pinside!

Donate to Pinside

Great to see you're enjoying Pinside! Did you know Pinside is able to run without any 3rd-party banners or ads, thanks to the support from our visitors? Please consider a donation to Pinside and get anext to your username to show for it! Or better yet, subscribe to Pinside+!


This page was printed from https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/jm-vs-jd-wrt-my-current-collection and we tried optimising it for printing. Some page elements may have been deliberately hidden.

Scan the QR code on the left to jump to the URL this document was printed from.