Quoted from Foxxstone_80:I'm looking at purchasing a new to me machine. I'm a big fan of 90s era machines and narrowed my options to either a Data east JP, T2, No Fear, or Breakshot. I've played JP and T2 a few times, I liked both of them but had only a limited time on each one so I didn't get a chance to really explore each game. I haven't played No Fear or Breakshot yet but they both look like games I would enjoy. I know this is very subjective but I'm just looking for some opinions on overall value, last ability, and fun factor between the four different machines. Which one would be the best to own in a small collection? Thanks!
You called out the most important item when you wrote "I know this is very subjective". Intelligent people can disagree. With that said...
I've had T2 since 2005 or so. It's a keeper. Some people write that, but I've got the 15+ years of proof. I've found it's very reliable, has great flow, and is a game you can decide to play for 5 minutes or 50 minutes. What about depth? T2 is deeper than most think but no 90s game is as deep as a 2015+ game. Gun toy is great. Music is great. Has actual Arnold custom speech, none of that "fake actor" stuff you get now-a-days.
JP is another great game. I've had it since 2017 or so. No plans to let it go either (but no hard proof like T2). It's not clunky at all, but nothing as smooth as T2. One isn't necessarily better than the other. The Dino guy is a top toy of all time, but some have trouble getting it working reliably. I haven't had trouble. It's fast and furious, with more wild ball bounces. I like the music a lot (and am no fan of adding the John Williams music because I don't think it's a good match for the feel of the game). There's a custom rom you can get that makes the modes random, which some people like. It's a good option to have. Some people dislike the DE playfield artwork. While I definitely don't think it's amazing, it has it's charm.
I don't think you can go wrong either.
I don't have any opinions about No Fear or Breakshot, other than I've played them and never had a desire to own either.
