Service and warranty support is paramount. One has a proven record, the other a broken record.

Stern doesn't do original themes, so game design by miles after miles goes to jjp

Coding is also a weakness for stern, jjp

The other 2 in my opinion are neutral

This is not going to go well...

FWIW i think he meant stern.
Each game has different strengths and weaknesses in those categories.

It you want Raw material tactile touch satisfaction AKA brick-shithouse(BOM)
JJP. But that isnt everything. Gotta go game to game...

One manufacturers in Chicago. One manufacturers in New Jersey.

Both have old school designers. Both have old school programmers.

Both have some gifted and talented new designers.

Both have made some great games. Both have made innovations in pinball.

Both are great with anticipation on what games might come in the future.

Both have their people at shows who love pinball and are happy to talk to their customers.

The line for main differences is kind of fuzzy. I think it comes down to a title you like. Game play you like. When you are ready to buy a new pin.

If they build the game you want. You can't go wrong with either.

LTG : )

Stern has great flow that 1-2 punch in just about all of their games. JJP has great intense details and new ideas in their games but can’t get that great flow going and better use of LCD screen.

It's like comparing chocolate and vanilla ice cream.
Different style, different flavor, different color etc.
Both are good but people prefer one over the other based on personal preference and taste.
I'm a Neapolitan kind of guy myself.

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One makes fun games for around $8,000. The other makes fun games for $12,000

Both are pretty bad at interface design and properly utilizing the LCD screens. Stern LCD and JJP games all have some pretty terrible amateur CG going on for what we pay. Both would be better off going to double-sized color DMDs IMO but never will.

Both are pretty bad about simple QC issues like playfield chipping and spelling errors on the playfield and $500 toppers that prevent the games from working.

This thread should be awesome

Just the fact that I’m not sure which is which is very telling. I’ve had great service support from both... and I’ve had dogcrap service and support from both. I’ve had issues that took over 6 months to resolve from... both. I’ve had issues with parts in the mail to me the next day from... both.

As for differentiations, they are both making good machines. So this is really Coke vs Pepsi to me. So shockingly, I put it down to play. I like FAST machines, so I lean towards Stern. And for everyone that feels the need to say you can setup a JJP machine to be fast, I know. However, they don’t play right like that. So right now, I’m leaning towards Stern games.

Stern plays fast with usually great flow and jjp plays like ass. Jjp is floaty, slow and a grind to play.

Stern is still pretty well priced comparatively and jjp is out to lunch imo.

Qc sucks at both companies despite the fact we are paying the highest prices for nib ever.

Pinball agnostic. The best way to be, truly.

And coming from someone as deeply entrenched in different directions, with so much experience for years, that mindset impresses me so much.

We need more gray in the world Lloyd. Less absolutes. Less right or wrong.

You're a good dude.

BK:SoR is an original theme, even if it's a sequel. Played a few games on a Pro version for the first time. I dig it. Just wish they kept the Magna-save button on the side of the cab. On the lockdown bar is sort of awkward.

For that matter, JJP is also doing mainly licensed games. Like it or not, it's a safer play. By the same note, one of the things I like about Dialed In! is its being probably the most original pinball theme to go on a production table in the current century.

Or he is just being politically correct.

Will have deadpool right next to JJP pirates. You need both.

Pirates is awesome though. I don’t find it floaty. Lots of multiballs. Feels good.

However wife prefers deadpool and our AFMr. Don’t forget CGC. Lloyd will tell you they are good too!

And yes a fast Borg machine is an adrenaline rush.

Most of the time JJP have more toys and more to shoot for. But Stern are definitely changing this. JP looks awesome.

Could be a bit of both.

Buuuuuut he's been farting around in pinball for decades, so even beyond company speak, LTG loves the game itself, which goes beyond company lines.

And the reality is just that. All companies have something to offer of value. Which is awesome!

I understand your point of view, BkSor is a sequel though

I tried to remember the last original theme for
Stern/DE/Sega/Stern....80's?

Stern is for operators and jjp is for home. Both have there place. I believe cgc is in the middle. My opinions are solely based on games on route and home collection.

No. I just like pinball and do what I can to help make it better for everyone.

No matter which manufacturer.

It's no secret that I work for JJP and PPS/CGC. At MGC I cleaned off their playfield glasses as well as AP and Spooky's games. Stern had their own crew, or I would have helped there too. I did wander over at tear down and helped the lady on a Stern pin.

No matter how big you think pinball is. It is a small niche market. We can no longer afford the pissing, moaning, complaining, back biting, fighting, arguing. That only serves to tear it down. Think of all the positive. Boost things up. Just because we have different tastes and likes and dislikes. We don't have to be negative.

These are great times we are living in. Enjoy it. Do what you can to make it better. Be part of the future that is pinball. Help make it great.

LTG : )

Thank you!

The thanks goes to you. And everyone who enjoys pinball.

Without all of you. I wouldn't have anything to do.

LTG : )

Your pooch, that blasted drunken monkey, and any number of pinball luvin' ne'er do wells would speak differently friend!

not sure about the differences, both are overpriced!

Both make great games. I truly appreciate each.

If i had to break it down...jjp makes games that are built better with more toys and stern gets better licenses and makes far more pins.

I own both, and I love both.

Also, big shout out to American and spooky.

This is a great time to be a pinball enthusiast.

I might have to work on a new drunken monkey video.

LTG : )

You are correct, forgot those, although strikers pf layout was also used for nfl

Biggest difference? Themes everything else listed above is crap. Like anything niether is perfect and its all personal preference. Oh and also who gives a shit.

Are you trying to say only theme is important or are you experimenting with grammar?

You should always be working on a drunk video. I mean, drunk monkey video!

I bet a drunken monkey would have loved that train the other day! Cheers!

Love both companies products but i tend to keep jjp pins much longer due to the complexity and variety of shots/toys and code. Stern makes fun pins but i tend to get bored with most of them within 3-4 months . Glad both are around along with all the other companies... what a good time to be a pinball hobbyist.

Can we like both? I really only like DI from the JJP lineup...but I want them to succeed just as much as I want Stern to succeed. Stern hums along like a well oiled machine because they have decades of experience at this. If you don't like their latest title, sit back for 3 months and wait for the next one.

Stern seems to be a bit better at taking care of their customers on warranty items lately, and are even flexible after the waranty has expired. I'd be pretty pissed if paint was falling off the playfield of my 2 month old $12,000 game...and be offered the remedy of being allowed to purchase an unpopulated $500 playfield with the same shitty bubblegum hardness Mirco clear job on it as the "fix" like JJP is offering. Stern sent people populated playfields for ghosting...after some prodding.

More similar than diff'rent; both sets of fan boys are just. The. Worst.

One had a secretary named Lincoln and the other did a secretary in a Lincoln ...

One likes to see goats dressed in drag and the other drags his goats to the sea ...

One married a woman with initials HOG and the other married a pig named W.O.M.A.N.

Oops wrong thread ...

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Bottom line is how much fun a game is to play and how much it costs. Really don't care about much else. JJP makes some nice games but costs too much imo.
Stern may not has as nice build features but really don't care if a game is a blast to play and price reasonable.

One game is built like a tank , the other each model gets a little lighter, a few more corners are cut .

Forget manufacturer ask your self what game you like ARM MB SW DP BM GOTG WONK DI IMLB I myself vote IMLB

If i had a five year old spike and it didnt boot up ok, i would start to sweat like a pig.

I think standing over the games, JJP's look better. They just pack stuff in and their light animations are so smooth. On initial play, Stern games grab you out the gate. However, I find that JJP games are better for the long haul. I've sold all but one of the Stern's I've owned but still have all my JJP's. I think it shows that JJP games really shine at home. Plus, when I have folks over, they always gravitate to the JJP games in my lineup. There is no denying how attractive that big LCD is. Not that many people say they love the Hobbit movies, but once people see the dragon animations on my game, they can't stop playing it. As far as buying used, I think used JJP's are better because they have less dimpling. Stern playfields look like someone who had horrible acne as a kid after about a month. As much as I'd love to pick up a used BM '66, I won't because of how bad the art looks under all those dimples. As far as quality, I think both are about the same. I have a Pirates and have no chipping issues. It's luck of the draw no matter which manufacturer you buy from. But, don't count out CGC or Spooky. They have great games, too. Look at Spooky if you want something more niche and unique.

Don’t leave out American pinball ! Or CGC

Make Pinball Sour Grapes Again. Not!

One offers real knockers and the other offers fake knockers.
One offers both standard and widebodies and one offers only standard bodies.
One consistently offers games with subways and under-playfield troughs, the other almost never does.
One offers both Italian and non-Italian bottoms, the other offers only Italian bottoms.

I'm glad JJP is around to counter the radical homogenization and defeaturing Stern has instituted since the 90s.

What is CGC working on next?

Working on yes... Next... probably not (in the words of Rick) Darn it! I was really anticipating that one!

One is expensive, the other much cheaper.
More parts is more money.