#835 USA

I am 50/50 on the LE vs SE - I see the pros of both. I think the LE may look a bit better, but my kids are stoked about the SE version. Every time we look at the pictures in the brochure they say the SE 'no comparison'. I am interested in the Smaug attract mode, and a gold hobbit is kind of cool. Perhaps it has a plus of being more rare. So I plan on keeping the SE as my choice.

When did you order? I order mine July/2014. Just wondered if you were before or after that...

Waiting for the hobbit is the gift that keeps on giving all year Clark...HOLIDAY ROAD!

Holding my course on the SE...looking forward to it!

I think you are referring to the SE - the LE has 1500, the SE isn't technically a Limited Edition but it was time boxed to 12/31/14 - so it will be far less than 1500. In an odd way the SE will be more limited than the ... uh ... limited edition. My wild guess is that there will be less than 500 Smaug versions. Heck maybe only 400 - then it may cost more used that a TRON LE! (wait - take that back, a used TRON LE costs more than a NIB hobbit)

I don't think so - but I could be wrong. You aren't able to buy SE's on the JJP web site at this time. My understanding is that the only SE models were from pre-order customers that elected to switch from the LE to the SE (at no additional cost), or - if you didn't have it on pre-order - to people/distributors that bought the SE's at 9K before the end of last year.

Haven't played it, but bought it. If I don't like it I will sell it at likely a loss. I'll take my chances.

Thanks for giving your opinion - while you may be right in your review we will have to wait until the final product / code is in a 'complete' state to properly score the machine. I think you are expecting a fast flow game, and I don't think that is what The Hobbit is going for. I think it may be touch faster than WOZ, but to my understanding it is more of a mode/journey type game - and not TRON fast.

You were more tactful and humble in your podcasts - no need to go full ahole about it on pinside. Will it be the best pinball of all time? Probably not. But there are many other good qualities about it. New players to pinball my like the toned down speeds, cool popups, big sound and video, etc. The cool custom call outs and hit stingers. Sometimes you want to play IM/TRON, and sometimes WOZ (and soon Hobbit). Heck, MB is great, but very shallow. The Hobbit is a NEW option - and to bring it back around to your podcast words "That should be celebrated".

BTW, who got 727 - I wanted that ... LOL

I would email Jen - I did.

I ordered in June of 2014 and was told July recently - so you should be July/Aug time frame I would guess. But ask Jen - she is great at returning emails.

Same. I figure another month or two should about do it. My understanding is that there are over 1000 hobbits before mine.

I think I recall Jack saying a few weeks ago that there are about 3000 on order. I am curious - how many pins did stern sale of AC DC, TWD, or Metallica? Don't want to start a feud - I am just curious if 3000 is alot or about normal for a popular pinball machine nowadays.

I was told the same thing in late January. I'll bet you are in late June early July territory. Email Jen if you direct ordered from JJP.

I like getting a date to at least get a feel for what they are thinking - if you want to take a 'whenever' approach that's fine with me. I was just telling you what I did and what they told me.