Rush premium has no expression lighting!

For me on LZ - NO EM = No fun. Premium or LE only. I can easily see why the pro gets a bad rep. Not much pin for the money.

I don't own an LZ yet, but for me the difference is the ramp from the upper flipper. I think I could live without EM.

Just wanted to re-ask my question from a few posts back....Is it a safe bet that I will like LZ Prem if I love Star Wars?

Thanks

Oh yeah I forgot they also took that wireform away too and just have a dead end shot….yeah that’s lame as hell (IMO). OK I’ll just say it - I think LZ pro just plain sucks. I’ve had my premium for almost a year now and it gets played more than any other of my pins. Rockin’ tunes with great coding. I don’t play star wars or marvel games ect - those themes just don’t interest me so I can’t comment on those - I’m strictly a rock pin guy.

Well, I have a Star Wars and love it, and I love my Zeppelin premium even more! Honestly, more often than not, if I’m just turning one game on to play it’s Zeppelin. When people come over it’s the game that gets played the most.

I saw your comments about JP and it’s funny, because while I do love that game, I too feel totally confused by the rules and what strategy I should be going for, it does kinda hurt the overall enjoyment a bit. It’s also hard to tell people who don’t know how to play it what they should be shooting for. Now that I say it out loud, I think that’s why guests always like LZ so much, it’s as simple as rocking to the music, trying to keep the ball in play, and hitting those satisfying ramps! Oh, and if you’re a fan of multiball you’ll get a lot more of those on LZ, more than SW and JP. But not too many like GnR.

Awesome. I felt pretty good about liking LZ. The shots are long and flowing just like Star Wars.

Now, to see if I can trade my ridiculously modded JP Pro for an LZ Prem.

Good luck! Keep us posted. As others have said, LZ is a game that is a much better experience with premium or LE features.

Anyone have the drop targets not go down when you hit them with a really hard shot? Reminds me of when I used to have Ghostbusters, the Scoleri drop targets would do that. Fix was a stronger spring which Pinball Life sells. Guess I could try that same spring on Led Zep?

This can happen with all drop targets regardless of manufacturer. I think people are getting too used to modern Stern games that typically don’t have drop targets. Older games from 70’s, 80’s were loaded with them. A direct hard shot rejects without dropping. It’s just a thing.

Don’t bash the Pro! I love it. It’s a great game!

Thanks. Just posted my JP Pro for trade.

Hey, I'm just being honest. When I was buying my first ever machine last year I wanted LZ as I was just getting back into pinball after a 30+ year hiatus. I played the LZ Pro first at GAP and just felt there was not much going on compared to what was offered in the Premium/LE. Glad you enjoy it and by no means should my opinion sway anyone. To each their own as they say...It's pinball and its fun.

I honestly get frustrated with the early EM multiball popping up. It tends to always show it's face in the most inconvenient times like during a short song, blocking my shot up the middle ramp when I need to be making that shot up the middle ramp. I love the modes that come with it, but I wish I could better control when it showed up. I know that I should just control the ball better. The only downside to the pro, in my opinion is that missing wire form. I imagine it makes that shot a lot less satisfying.

I love ripping the EM and then going up the middle ramp - not the easiest of shots though. you can also hit just to the left of the em and Hit that center ramp. I had the EM up last night and during the guitar solo during rock and Roll I hit the center ramp 14 times in a row racking up some decent guitar solo jackpots.

and then there is the EM FRENZY - that is pure pinball Bliss!

To me the middle ramp is the most open of all the shots on the game. When the EM is up if makes the middle ramp tight like the others, but still makeable.

If I hit the middle ramp while the spinner is up it’s a fluke. Mine just hits Icarus from the right flipper 99 percent of the time and kind of bounces around from the left flipper.

Its tough, but can hit from left by just missing the EM and from the right through the spinner. Again, not every time by any means.

I'm probably making a bigger deal out of it than it actually is. The major issue for me is that I always manage to get it during the guitar solos on Rock and Roll, Communication Breakdown, and to a lesser extent Good Times Bad Times. Literally any other time in the game I am totally fine with it showing up, but like clockwork it comes up right in those moments!

So I have been waiting to do the latest code update.Hows the water is it safe .

I would maybe check your level if you have that hard of a time making the center ramp with the EM up. It should be a pretty easy shot from the left flipper, either from a cradle or flowing. I have made it from the right flipper shooting through the EM, and that's a super cool shot, but I cannot do it consistently.

I'm a premium guy on LZ for sure as I LOVE the EM (or as my family calls it, the drive-thru car-wash ), and the side ramp is super satisfying. But I would never knock the pro either...still lots to love there. People call it barren, but 3 ramps, a drop bank, a spinner, a jumping custom molded toy, and a static custom molded toy doesn't scream stripped down to me. And heck...that right ramp is so amazingly satisfying, if the game was nothing but a flat board with just that ramp, I'd still love shooting it, LOL. Backhanding that ramp alone sold me on the game!

Seems so. I’ve been on it for a month. If you’re coming from 1.05 the EM seizure lights are back but seem to be a bit less intense. Otherwise I haven’t heard about or experienced any bugs.

Yes! I love both. Didn't know one I was. Ritchie guy u til LZ changed me forever. Then went back and got time on a SW and am sold. It just feels so good to me and while I enjoy my other pins by Lawlor, Eddy, Elwin...for some reason it's LZ and SW that I can stop playing and really enjoy. Endorphins!

Anyone else having issues with the rubber (1 3/4) behind the drop targets? I go through them weekly. I don’t feel any burrs on that post adjacent to the right ramp. I’m considering wrapping it with some electrical tape. If one one has any tips or suggestions on how I might be able to mitigate this issue from happening so frequently please post up any suggestions. Thanks in advance.

I love Titans, but they break back there as well as stock rubbers. The rubber next to the left ramp is the same situation. Pinball Life perfect play rubbers haven't broken in those spots yet, though, so give them a try.

(I've got a pair of super bands in the wings in case those give out as well, btw...)

Yep. I have the same issues with these two spots. I’m going to run through my Titans and then I will try these perfect plays or something different.

Weird, I have over 1000 plays with no break. I did slide it around a little when I saw some wear.

All good, update away!

Yes behind the drops is a problem. Yes my stocks and Titans each went in 2 weeks! Now I rotate (meaning turn) the rubber every week or so, so that the same spot isnt taking a beating. and my Titans are now 6 weeks in.

I have owned SW pro (and want another one), and currently own a LZ prem and a JP pro. If you like how SW shoots, I think you will love LZ. They have similar speed and flow. LZ has more ramps, and they are much more satisfying to me. The side ramp is a big bonus vs SW. SW has slightly more speed/flow due to the awesome inner loop and ability to make a full right orbit, which LZ does not. Both have dumpster fire ball launch paths...for how much Steve Ritchie is the king of flow, I have no idea why he does crap like this with his ball launches. I find LZ slightly less dangerous there, with less launch/drain/launch/drain combos, but it can still happen. Overall I would say LZ is a safer shooter all around, leading to longer ball times in general. Think more along the lines of Spider-Man.

Code is very different between the two, though they have similar depth, and both are awesome. Star Wars, with its many open paths offers a chance to see basically the entire game (minus Jedi Multiball) very "close to the start button". Depending on the character you pick, you can see any of the 4 planet multiballs within one mode completion, and none of the other modes are difficult to reach (well...Fett can be a pain). LZ on the other hand keeps more "big stuff" further away, with tons of stuff to see leading up to it. Ten song modes, plus the tours give you many choices to see unique modes early on, but you will not be seeing stuff like Top of the Charts, World Tour or even Mothership every game. That doesn't mean they are unreachable at all, but it's an accomplishment to get there. The only really tough accomplishment on SW is Jedi Multiball, and maybe Victory multiballs. I'm not saying SW is easy, but it is pretty easy to see almost everything within a few games.

Star Wars rules are very well integrated. I love how Dwight married the playfield to the rules. Stuff like aim a turret left or right by hitting the left or right ramps, then fire by literally shooting the tie fighter. That's good stuff, and SW is full of things like that. LZ kind of turns standard rulesets on their head by having everything revolve around the actual music. It was jarring at first for me that the music never changed going into multiballs or even wizard modes, but once you understand the logic, it works beautifully. The way the lit shots flow with the songs really pull you into the music in a way that is hard to describe. Combined with the side lights really makes an immersive, concert-like experience. I know that is something people love about GnR, but honestly I think that feeling is captured better on LZ.

OK, I've babbled long, but just to touch on JP. I have owned JP pro twice. I really enjoy the game, but it's a different beast. It's very unique in both layout and code. The flow is there, and pretty awesome, as long as you are hitting shots. If you aren't, it is a miserable experience and an absolute clunk-fest. It's a great game all around, and deserves the praise it gets. That said, I enjoy LZ more, and if forced to choose, JP would be out. Most people would think that's crazy talk, but that's my opinion. LZ may be more of a standard "fan" layout, but it is simply friendlier and more satisfying to shoot. JP may be a current gold standard type game, but it's definitely not for everyone.

Yeah...but who the hell wants to have to do THAT???

Sushko posted this solution about six months ago for the drop target rubber and i incorporated it to the center ramp rubber as well. i still rotate them both when the glass comes off and the wear patterns are not nearly as bad before this fix. it has lowered the maintenance factor for these rubbers quite a bit.

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I just had to replace that rubber in your top picture. I noticed it was chewed to hell when it finally gave out. It's the only one I've had to replace so far at least in somewhere over 600 plays. It's been dry in my house in this cold weather here, so maybe that has something to do with it.

Yeah, Titans are what I’m using. You also mentioned the left ramp, did you mean the side ramp? Those are the two that I have to replace but the one behind the drop targets is replaced the most often.

Thanks for all the replies, I’m going to try the perfect plays next.

Wow...thank you for that! Now, I have the serious itch for an LZ Prem.

Left...side...whatever. It's all semantics. Yeah...this is the one:

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I can see what you did there, but what is that? Is that a sleeve? Thanks!

silicone sleeve that's been cut in half, yes. the boob job on the center ramp rubber pushes it out a smidge and has has cost me some center ramp shots, but it's a worthy tradeoff for longer wear and less fuss IMO.

I'm sharing my mod idea with the community. I'm not the first to use these replicas but I haven't seen anyone do this exactly. Most people that are not Pinsiders believe these came with the machine. My son refers to the ramps as the LP and Bass ramps.

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Similar to this fix I have a question as well. When I first picked up my LZ prem it was gently used at a local large arcade. The same rubber had been replaced with a flipper rubber which was working. Unfortunately I didn't realize this was a problem area or see the that the flipper rubber had worn out and after noticing it I noticed that the metal "guide(?)" behind the rubber (the upside down U shaped one) was fairly bent from repeated bashes from the pinballs. I did a little bending of it to get it straighter again but has anyone had success changing those type of guides out? They are essentially press fit into the playfield. The guide itself is round but within the playfield they have a flattened end that gets pressed into the wood I believe. They definitely can't be pulled out so pushing from below seems like the answer. Do they need a special tool for removal? I'm real concerned that any pushing of that flattened end will result in the top surface of the playfield splintering.

Any ideas or should I be content with a slightly bent guide?

I had so many different emotions reading this post.

I've been playing a lot of Star Wars Pro at the local brewery (while the kids practice hockey, great parenting I know) and it has really grown on me. Each week I seem to be improving on it as I learn the rules although it's taking me a lot of quarters to get there. (Simple side question, how do I start planet modes so I can stack them together?). I agree that it is excellent in terms of flow, ruleset and theme integration. Because of that you're going to love LZ. Even though as noted by Jedi the R orbit on LZ slows that part of the pin down I find the L and center ramp are much easier to hit then the deathstar shot on SW. That balances them off for me. Also hitting that R ramp and third flipper ramp on LZ is very satisfying when you can get those down. The rules on LZ and integrated light show make it perfect.

I haven't played Rush yet but I suspect it will be like GNR for me, there will be a few songs I play over and over but because I'm not a fan of either band I doubt I'll want to see most of the game.

Finally, I just don't get the JP dislike or mis-understanding of the game people have. Avengers I get because it's easy to overthink the approach. JP is pretty much follow the blinking lights to capture dinosaurs (red dinosaurs are fast/mean, green are easier) and along the way you can play some pretty cool side missions. That O shot is difficult to achieve but everything else is a combination of flow and essential skilled shots. Maybe if you ever invite JP back in the house try a Premium, the raptor cage and t-rex may make the theme more likeable to you.

Thoughts on glass cover image. Kind of leaning towards the Hermit STH image. Thanks for the input.

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The Mothership one ties in really nicely to the mini-wizard mode, so that would be cool. But that Hermit one is really, really awesome. Tough call.

Mothership gets my vote, better color and more cohesive to the overall package.

agreed.

I am in the reverse situation of you. I own an LZ premium. I have an opportunity to trade my Mando premium for a Star Wars premium. I have discovered I enjoy richies games. I haven’t played a SW premium but I have played a pro. I enjoyed it but was wondering if I would enjoy a premium over my mando. After seeing all these posts about both games I think I am gonna pull the trigger.

I am also having this issue. I was hoping someone could post pictures of the EM from under the playfield to compare some stuff. Maybe you can post pics.

Am I the only one out there who has played Mando several times and just been totally meh about it? Can’t get into the game, nothing particularly interesting. The “upper playfield” extra flipper thing, whatever you call it is just the lamest feature.

Nah, I'm with you....I have a Mando Premium and it doesn't draw my attention as much as I thought. I pre-ordered it sight unseen, because it was Eddy. I don't think it will go anywhere because my 11 yo daughter likes it. My 14yo daughter loves Iron Man and I can't sell that. Ugghhh...

In my collection the games that are NOT leaving are:
Star Wars Pro
Stranger Things Pro
TMNT Pro

The ones I don't mind if they go
JP Pro - Hoping this one goes towards an LZ Prem
Iron Man
Mando Prem

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