Play many MET premiums and LEs...... not one that the hammer caught the ball every time.

As for the lighting your wrong ... sorry
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/major-code-update-total-lightshow-metallica-pro-gi-theatre-201

My hammer is 99% accurate. (TWSS)

Since you have an AC/DC I take it you like music pins so I think a Met would be right up alley. You'd have 2 great music pins then and you'r REALLY rock the house.

I loved my Metallica premium, don't listen to anyone, get the premium!

My hammer has worked great from day one. LOVE it! I don't find it to be obnoxiously sized either. GREAT feature!

MET Premium.

I've played, but not owned, all three quite a bit so I'll offer my opinion with a little bit different slant.

MET, TH, GB.

The Hobbit: You're always in a mode, or trying to get to a mode. It's great looking and the best game if people come over and have to watch someone else play pinball. It's not awful waiting for your turn. It is a pretty open feel and a relatively slow feeling game, even when it's dialed in. That's how a lot of widebodies are, so I'd evaluate it in the context of your other games. It can really be a marathon.

Ghostbusters: It can be rather annoying to play if you're having an off day shooting and can't quickly get into a mode. If you're not in a mode, scoring is low and gameplay is pretty boring. This largely depends on your skill level. Some shots, just aren't fun on a Pro like the right ramp. When you need to hit it, it's just a chore. Stacking things is relatively limited and the four ways to enter modes seem to be mutually exclusive right now - save Storage Unit Multiball. I have a lot of fun playing GB, but it might be third on my list of these three to own. For new players and visitors, the theme could be a winner, but may be less fun for them to actually play if they can't get it to do anything fun.

Metallica: I've only played Premium and LE. The good or bad thing about Metallica is that you're rarely really in a mode. It makes the game very approachable for less skilled players to just bash away and get rewarded with multiball. Skilled players can complete objectives and enter modes, stack things in a lot of different ways etc. On the flip side, there is a LOT of bashing away at stuff (coffin, snake, sparky) to get it rolling into Crank it Up, then EOL. Metallica has gotten a ton of my quarters and it's a lot of fun.

That said, I've played a game with a flawless hammer and it's pretty gratifying and makes new players light up the first few times they see it. On the other hand, when the hammer doesn't work, it's really annoying. The game nearest me has random hammer strikes all the time which can block shots. It's very frustrating. That said, I still pump it full of quarters.

I plan to have a Metallica someday, but I'm not sure if I want a Prem or a Pro.

Uhh...You pm'd somebody because of their opinions about The Hobbit?

Uhh....no. He PM'ed me. But thanks for playing.

Honestly, why do people love MET so much? I mean, really, why? The layout is completely milktoast and about as uninspired as you can get. The rules are so boring, almost every aspect of the game is hit something X times to start a multiball with a few exceptions here and there of having to light something first before going back to it. The callouts quite frankly IMO are about as juvenile and awful as they come. From a gameplay perspective its horrible unless you like chopping wood, hitting the same crap over and over again and like easy games. Maybe its the art package, light shows and music that are making up for everything else, because all of those were probably the best STERN has put out until GB came out. BTW, I'm a HUGE fan of the band, listen to their music daily, and it's still just not enough.

Anyway, I digress. Ive played the hell out of all 3 of those pins and for me its GBprem, TH, and dead last is METPro (dont waste your money on a prem or LE). GB makes me want to play over and over again. TH is fun, but I had an hour long game the other day and it was enough for me.

Yeah, I PM'd him to say that it would be best to be cool to one another, but be can't help making himself the Opinion Police around here and following me around. It's...odd.

It's your posts that are odd. Actually, they go far beyond that, as you well know. I do like how you pretend to be above reproach though. Many of us see right through it.

Didn't you title one of your recent podcasts "Stuck Fern?" The crusade continues. Good luck with it.

This is like I was saying about never really being in a mode and bashing things, but from someone that it actually bothers. This person has a totally valid point; it's still obviously fun for a lot of people.

That person is also right that the callouts in the game are pretty weak compared to GB and TH, and I also forgot to mention that I haven't heard great sound out of the factory speakers either, but I've only experienced three machines. If you're a fan of the band and really want the music to sound great, that may bother you. GB and TH seem to sound pretty good as is.

sorry you haven't found one. When you do, you'll understand.

thanks for the link on the GI. Cool option that gives you a similar feeling.

EDIT - damn 300 for that. Still worth it if you have a pro. even the quasi light show is an welcome upgrade.

Metallica is king, for me. Just the entire package - awesome music, great art, killer light show, masterpiece Lyman rules, sweet toys...it just bristles with energy and excitement, and never lets up. You can play it casually or seriously and have fun either way.

With Hobbit, I went from not even remotely giving a shit, to being casually interested, to saying "F it" and buying one...to FRIGGIN' LOVING IT. I think it's a daunting game to walk up to, and the layout might not look interesting on the surface...but if you give it a few days it really all starts to click, and it's unbelievable. I'm shocked at how much I like it, actually...but the "quest" style rules are phenomenal, the "feel" of the game is amazing, the shots are all really fun in the context of the rules, and the presentation is over the top gorgeous. The music is just phenomenal and there are light effects like I've never seen. I think the community had a lot of skepticism of this title based on the delays and lackluster initial reveal...but I think when more people experience this game they're going to come around on it.

I had the opposite experience with Ghostbusters. I went from being apeshit in love with it based on the theme and art...to having a shockingly negative first impression when I played it. I had one on order, but since it was delayed for 6 or 7 months, I had many opportunities to play the Pro, Prem and LE...and I was trying SOOO hard to like it. I tried to overlook every problem the game had and just have fun with it, cuz it's Ghostbusters! I eventually just had to admit it - the game is not fun. The design flaws are deal breakers. The quality problems Stern is having were the ultimate deal breaker. I will consider revisiting GB in the future, but only if something happens in the code that cancels out the game's issues, and if Stern can prove they have their QC under control.

So, my recommendations are Met or Hobbit. Do you want "retro pinball" heavy metal ass kicking, or a "next generation" cinematic quest? That's what it comes down to IMO.

Hopefully picking up my GB Prem next week.......

Hey Rubberfist, I was having a similar dilemma a few months back on which to buy. I had never bought a nib before and with current prices figured this would be my first and last for quite some time. Where I live there are not many places to play new pins out in the wild, basically only one thanks to the great guys in the local league for setting up a spot at a pub. Back to your question and after looking at your collection we have a lot of the same pins and may have similar tastes. I eventually went with the Hobbit and Im so happy I did 6 weeks later the honeymoon is still on. I was really excited about GB but after playing it many times I ended up just not a big fan of the rules and some of the shots. Metallica is a lot of fun and for a pro might be the best bang for your buck. I personally don't think the extra for a premium is worth it. I however eventually tired of MET except for the awesome music. Ultimately everyone will have a different opinion I can only say TH IMO is just in a superior class with there pins at this time. Good luck trying to make the decision in the end I'm sure u will be happy with whatever u decide.

You know what OP? I've totally changed my opinion after tonight. I went to Free Play in Orlando and think 100% you should buy "Dialed In."

Dialed In looks absolutely fantastic. I'm out of space right now, and I'm not super stoked about the price, but I might move a game to open up space if I can get some time on Dialed In and find that it's actually as good as it looks.

Owning both hobbit and a metallica pro I would say it's an honest toss up. Comes down to personal gameplay preference. Hobbit will blow away any stern in terms of quality, looks, sound, and depth of gameplay. It is an absolute blast to play and different than any other game out there. Metallica is fun and beautiful as well. It's fast, and has a cool layout. Rules are easy to figure out but can get a little old. Also, the premium isn't worth the extra cost.
You really need to try each one and fully understand the rules to decide. As for GB, the premium is definitely the best option of GB. Its fun, but overly difficult. Beautiful machine much like metallica. For GB supposedly being sterns best ever, metallica seems to trump it in all polls. Hobbit gets my overall vote, but metallica is a very close second.
Edit..based off your collection a hobbit would go very nicely with that lotr.

Pick TH

TH is the game to have right now ... it is fun, fun, fun. Main rules are in and the game is the ultimate Quest. Lots of software refinements still to come will make this a game you will likely want to bolt to the floor.

MET - challenging, fun, beautiful, great light show, great color dots, 100% done and proven.

GB - challenging, fun, beautiful and the jury is still out.

All 3 are good machines so no wrong choice, the question is, which will you find the most fun?

I think The Hobbit is the nicest in term of quality, but, just personally, its not as fun as other machines.

You'll have a lot of time on GB, so no hurry there. (Of the three, I've found GB the most fun, but that's person preference.)

In my "Opinion" stop hijacking other peoples threads with this nonsense give it up and move along. Too much GOOD and INSIGHTFUL info in this thread that I have enjoyed reading with the exception of this mini argument. Your opinions on the machine are fine and actually good and insightful but your little argument needs to go. IF you have any issue with what I have said please contact a Moderator or PM me. Do not waste another post in this thread.

OP This has been a great thread and very good opinions thanks for starting it. I see a lot of great constructive responses as opposed to the the other Hobbit/Ghostbuster threads I can't stand to read anymore. Great job!

PS I already gave my opinion but....HOBBIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would recommend you check out some of the awesome playing streams of the games.

On my personal opinion in short form:

Met: hit same target again and again and again. Great layout. Fast game
Nothing to discover except higher scoring.

GB: not played enough. Looks very good. Code far from done. Lots of problems with production.

Hobbit: awesome game if you like quest and story games. Lots to discover. Build quality and everything else makes stern look old.

I haven't played a lot of MET, but the several times I did, your post summed up my opinion on it.

Hey, if you think you're tired of it, imagine how I feel. It's always him who stirs it up. He can't let it go. In his world, I'm not allowed to have an opinion on The Hobbit since it doesn't align with his own. A mod asked me if I wanted them to step in, I told them not to because I figured it would just fizzle out on its own. Whatever.

Back to the OP. It sounds like you have eliminated Ghostbusters from consideration. While that was initially my top choice, at this point in time I kind of agree with the wait and see approach on the game. I'm still having way more fun with it than I have with either of the other two games, but it's still a riskier buy than Metallica given that Metallica production is coming to an end and Ghostbusters will be on the line for a while still. And while the code is pretty good on Ghostbusters, the last two releases have actually missed the mark pretty hard. There are still some odd choices in regards to score balancing that could be improved, but I"m not 100% sure if that's something Stern is looking to address. They seemed to be more focused on mitigating difficulty and making the game more accessible. If we are saying it's down to Metallica or The Hobbit, and you aren't able to play either, here's my pros and cons on each, broken down by considerations for yourself and your family vs. visitors to your home.

Metallica Premium

Pros (for you)
- Very fast and flowy game that would fit well into your collection
- No real issues as far as maintenance goes
- Amazing art package, one of the best in modern pinball
- If you like Metallica, the theme integration is great, but it's still strong for even non-Metallica fans (like myself)
- Because the songs aren't tied to modes, you can swap songs easily to customize the game with other bands or different Metallica songs
- Multiball rules are good
- The late game modes (Crank it Up, End of the Line) are really well done
- That spinner is HOT FIRE
- Despite its issues, the hammer is pretty dang cool
- Very challenging game with deceptively deep layers and nuances to the code

Pros (for visitors)
- Metallica fans will basically run to it
- Music pins tend to draw crowds and people "get it" a bit faster than with other themes
- Sparky is an easily understood feature and something for newbies to shoot for
- Pretty straightforward on a basic level to figure out

Cons (for you)
- Compared to other games in your collection, it's fairly basic from a features standpoint
- Despite being able to swap songs, it would be better if there was song/mode integration like you get with AC/DC. Missed opportunity for some clever stuff there.
- Game can get a little bit into that "chopping wood" feel as you grind out to the deeper modes
- You tend to play this game the same way each time, there's not a ton of room for discovery

Cons (for visitors)
- The game can be a brick fest until you find the shots. Many shots are tight and can turn away lesser-skilled players
- Some people flat out can't stand metal music, though just about everybody will listen to Enter Sandman
- This game is almost everywhere, so it's not quite as novel in a collection as The Hobbit would be

The Hobbit

Pros (for you)
- You seem to like widebody pins, so this would jive well in that regard
- Naturally pairs well in regards to theme with LoTR
- It's a very big shift in feel/flavor from anything else you have
- It will take a long time to see everything in the game. There's stuff hidden all over the place
- Build quality is better than what you would see with Metallica
- JJP's commitment to code is unmatched.

Pros (for visitors)
- It's a showpiece of a game. The LCD, the light show, the music and sound effects will draw people in naturally
- It's easy to get into the modes/multiballs. Newcomers can see that without much of a grind
- Easy shot chart is inviting
- Everything in the game is integrated into the theme in a way that makes logical sense, very accessible

Cons (for you)
- It takes all of a couple of hours to get dialed into the shots, so games start to get VERY long very quickly
- The ramp shot is the same shot from each flipper, and it's a very wide shot
- Be it in the home or on location or at a show, those pop up targets are problematic from a maintenance perspective
- There are TONS of modes, but they really don't feel very different. Limited layout creates a lot of shot recycling and unless you're a huge multiball fan, you definitely get multiball fatigue (this is a widespread issue in pinball lately, to be honest)
- Wizard of Oz seems to be the better JJP buy (unless you just can't stand the theme), Dialed In may prove to be superior as well

Cons (for visitors)
- Following what's happening on the LCD screen is pretty much impossible
- That's about it. The game is a good crowd pleaser unless they're a more skilled player. Higher skilled players often get bored quickly, however

Obviously there's a price gap between the machines, but unless you were looking at Metallica Pro vs. The Hobbit, it's not really worth factoring into the overall decision. The added cost for JJP machines definitely reflects in the quality of components and build quality. Once you iron out the issues on The Hobbit, it's a freaking tank. While Metallica is a low maintenance game, it's definitely not built as solidly, and you do have to worry about when your playfield was manufactured with Stern.

As far as longevity goes between games, it comes down to if you prioritize what stays in your collection more to yourself or for your family/visitors. Metallica's shot map will take much longer to master due to a more challenging layout, but The Hobbit gives you more in regards to modes to explore (albeit on a much easier shot layout). It's a really tough decision to make without getting good time on both machines. Metallica is probably an easier sell if/when you're ready to move on, however.

Whatever you choose, good luck! I hope you enjoy whatever route you go.

Get over yourself. There are plenty of people who don't like The Hobbit and give their opinions on the matter. The difference seems to be that a majority of those people do it with more respect and reasons than you, and more importantly don't give the same opinion over and over and over and over and over and over and over again like you do.

And congratulations on allegedly having a moderator in your pocket.

Okay guys please stop the negative back and forth exchange. If you guys must continue this exchange please take it to PM.

Out of the 3 games mentioned, I rate them in this order. Best first:

The Hobbit
Metallica
Ghostbusters

metallica

I like Jar's summary above, but I disagree that Metallica is flow-y. (Only one of his many many points). Unless you hit ramp to ramp combos (which is satisfying for me), the bashing really takes away the flow. The inline drops, fuel, coffin, snake, sparky and (ususally) the left orbit and scoop are the main shots and result in trying to get control of the ball again. It's a ball control random fest at times. It's not stop-and-go as aside from the scoop and the occasional magnet, the ball is always rolling, but that isn't what I consider flow.

Someone else suggested watching videos on YouTube, that's a painfully obvious - yet still good - idea.

None of those for me, my next pin will be TBL, TWD or Alien.

Thats AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!

Congrats, man. Enjoy the games. They're totally night and day different from one another, so they should compliment each other quite well.

Nice additions to a very cool lineup - enjoy!

Metallica !