LOTR

Absolutely LOTR!

I have both and vote for WOZ. Can you add a poll?

Woz is a great pin!

WOZ

LOTR wins for flow and theme.

I have them both and love them both. You cannot go wrong with either and neither will likely loose value assuming your purchase price is reasonable.

LOTR: Thematically fits with your Hobbit. Looks nice from a classic perspective. Long playing. Deep rules. Lots of flow.
WOZ: As beautiful as Hobbit and similar look. Medium length games. Deep rules. Chaotic gameplay.

On LOTR most of the shots return to the flippers safely which leads to very long games and I'm told can get boring if you are a really good player. WOZ is much more chaotic. They are both great and complement each other nicely. (Sell your Hobbit and buy both LOTR and WOZ!)

I have a nice LOTR for sale just 2.5 hours from you

First, don't give up Hobbit. Second, no game looks better next to Hobbit than a woz. Woz imo will last longer simply because you'll never beat it. You obviously know how good jjp games look and are built, and woz won't disappoint. Both are great, but I'd take woz all day. Plus, you're correct in that woz shines in home so you can progress further.

I had both, but sold LOTR. Ball times were too long. WOZ is incredible, and it's the machine most people gravitate to when they're over.

One thing to remember: You'll never get to the end of either because Keith Johnson (the programmer of both) is sadistic.

I was in a similar situation as you and have the same games, woz, TH and LOTR. If I was to get rid of one it would be LOTR, as I find it a repetitive. Most times I play it I destroy the ring. I have reached valinor twice, and not much left to shoot for. It is a great flowing game and has really satisfying shots. Woz on the other hand is random and there is always a different way to play. If you are keeping the hobbit I would go with the Woz, as LOTR is too similar to TH in my opinion.

I owned LOTR for several years. I owned WoZ a month.

Woz

Lotr.

WOZ

I had a LOTR from new, great game but eventually sold it.

TZ was my all time favourite pin that is until I owned a WOZ which in my opinion is now the best pin ever made.

I disliked the WOZ theme to start with but once I played it I was hooked.

So imo WOZ.

Both are great game, both has deep rules, better flow with LOTR and better jackpot callouts but the light show on Woz is the best ever done at this day.
What would it be reluctant to go with LOTR is if Stern built a LOTR VE with LCD.

They are two of my favorite games but if I had to get rid of one, LOTR would be gone. WOZ is the best pin ever made IMO.

Both are amazing, but LOTR is the greatest game ever created in my opinion. LOTR!

I own both. Everyone in my family agrees. LOTR is next to go.

LOTR would be my pick!

As always, opinion... but you have a Hobbit so LOTR is a cool companion piece, however WOZ is amazingly deep and so well built. Its WOZ all day for me.

Like everyone says, it takes time to get it down. It's very deep but takes time and understanding. It's hard to get it on location play only.

Of course not, need to hit the scoop, left target bank etc...but it needs to learn the rules if you want understand this game and how to play it. It is not a single or 2 shots to do over and over by far Especially since it takes several pages to explain these rules

First, I've owned both. WOZ for about 2 years, and LOTR for around 5 years so far (2 different copies). I picked LOTR. However, WOZ is an amazing game too.

WOZ definitely opens up. Keith did an amazing thing in there, he made a ruleset that works for "just keeping the ball in play", that also works for pinball experts. The main multiball can be attained by just bouncing the ball around and shooting the ramp. So noobs get the excitement, the lights, the sounds, all kinds of good stuff. So they are entertained and have fun. But then a good player steps up to it, and it is a monster of strategy. All of a sudden WHEN to shoot that ramp is important. Because Emerald City Multiball isn't the goal, it is there to help you get farther in RESCUE Multiball because it is now a callable ball saver on the ramp.

But that is just a tiny example. Flailing will get you a crystal ball mode when you really don't want it. The color of those ball targets is critical as you start those because fireball is impossible with lights on or lights off. Everything can be stacked, and some stacks help while others kill your chances for a good game. WOZ has layers and layers of strategy. And one of the most informative displays ever made. You always know where you are with a glance at the main screen. And if you're not used to all the information like that, the maps in the status will show you exactly what's left. Yeah, it opens up quite a bit.

So why did I pick LOTR? Oh, best game ever made.

Had them both here before. LOTR is more fun and better code and way better theme to me. WOZ is all flash with bad theme for men in my opinion. I knew on the first ball played i made a bad decision buying a WOZ, shouldnt have listened to my wife. I did like WOZ eventually alittle just like any game but once honeymoon was over i sold it.

With that said OP if your buying used definitely avoid WOZ, lightboard issues everywhere. So much JJP redesigned the entire system while still selling there defective original lightboard games which i find very disrespectful to customers. Id be irrate if i bought a late 2016 model with old system without JJP making it public there redesigning system. So if you do buy a WOZ buy new with 2017 manufacturer date to get the 2.0 light system.

LOTR id replace the flipper coils with the LOTR upgrade coils and cliffy the wear spots and your good to go.

I own both, a bit of a toss up. Both have good rule sets, nice artwork and theme integration. Id give the edge to woz as there is a bit more going on and it has more bling to it. The large video screen also sucks you in more than the end. Given that woz is roughly 2k more, it's a toss up for me.

I am lucky enough to own both. WOZ is a fine game with really well done rules, stackable modes. The cabinet and playfield are really a work of art and the display is very Immersive all far better then LOTR of the Rings. LOTR has ok, some would say photoshop playfield art. The cabinet is a series of dots not super high quality graphics like WOZ by any means although it is screened and a run of the mill orange DMD (color is available). It will however never leave my house. I have had it since new in 03, it simply is one of the greatest pinball machines ever made in my opinion, one I, family and guests play regularly, more then WOZ.

Ummm, ok. Good to know where you stand.

I vote WOZ

WOZ

For insecure men, you mean.

Dont get your Rainbow panties all bunched up over my opinion Im just more into GOT, LOTR, IJ kinds of themes kind of guy.

So am I. But I can appreciate a nice pair of ruby slippers as well. (Check my collection...)

Agree. I have no problem with the theme of WOZ. Good movie - great pin!

Imagine if JJP would have made WOZ a different theme say Die Hard themed for instance. Same layout but everything Die Hard. Yippee Ki-Yay!

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I've had both games in my home... WOZ for the dominating win.

You might think WOZ has less flow... it's just different flow... you gotta play it a ton for the geometry to open up to your eyes. Truly is one of the greatest pins ever made.

Well I believe (as does the AFI Top 100) that WOZ is one of the greatest films ever made. Iconic and great for all ages with a universal theme of love, friendship, and home. If that makes me less of a man for liking it, then it's a badge of honor I wear proudly.

LOTR all day, every day. Owned both. WoZ is great, amazing, fun and gone. LOTR taught it everything it knows. I think you get to know how much you like a game when you sell it. LOTR left a great big hole when it left and I missed it daily until it returned. WoZ leaves fond memories but won't be back.
LOTR is simply this; the, best, freaking, pinball machine, ever, made.
(In a tie with Tron and Stern Stars).

Your the one making what i said out to be in a direction that i didnt intended or say, 2x now you did it. Its all good if thats were your minds at but i have no issues with anybodys life styles. I just think WOZ is soft themed and not manly at all in my opinion, get over it.

LOTR is a very good game. WOZ is a excellent game.

WOZ. I've owned both.

You can have your own opinions about WOZ the theme...WOZ the game... but you're information about the light boards isn't accurate. I've traded lengthy emails with Butch (the engineer that designed the system). This notion that issues are rampant and that old parts are going to be non-existent (which is another common fake fact) are wrong.

OP - if you have concerns about the light boards, call JJP and talk to Butch. Get the facts and make your own decision.

so you believe the guy responsible for the problem....my info is accurate to me. i know of a guy that has replaced all the boards 3x then said screw this and sold it(pinball gallery). other guys that have received the updated buffered led boards and half didnt even work brand new from jjp. its a issue and JJP knows it or they wouldnt have redesigned the entire system or did they just do that for the hell of it?

Im not going to get into another pissing contest about a pinball machine but my WOZ had incessant problems and it had probably less than 200 games. They all pretty much showed up when I let Marcus Trevino use it at a tournament. Even he said I got a lemon. That and the fucking ink chipping off the PF in quarter sized pieces and Jack sending me a throw away PF as a replacement soured me on JJP. That doesn't mean that every game he puts out will have the same problems but I will be leery.