Had both and the Whitewater is still here and Shadow is long gone. IMHO Wh20 is a lot more "fun" game overall with a good rule set and vacation jackpot is WAY cool if you get there. Shadow is just an "in your face" game with deeper rules and not much coasting while playing. No POPS on Shadow which is a big turn off for me after owning it. JY is similar in this regard but back on point...
Shadow got played the least by non-pin people that were over the house for parties and I spent more time explaining how to play it than it was played. The battlefiled is a cool item. I hate the Baldwin translite and Wh20 is a LOT better looking game with clean ramps and some LED's in blue. I tried to like shadow but it never clicked for me, similar to TZ which is also gone.

It comes down to personal choice and I like games that look nice and are fun to play. If I have to get into the mindset to "do battle" with the game to have fun that's not really fun in my book. Also from seeing other peoples reactions to it and how little it got played it confirmed what I already thought about it. Be warned if you buy a Wh20 that needs ramps / parts to shop it or repair it is one expensive game to shop out and restore.

Once its shopped and gone thru it was no different than any other game to keep running. The Battlefield needs to be set up properly. Some games were made with plastic gears ( I think) and later brass or metal gears were available. You want the metal / brass gears. Also the wiring harness in the battlefield is subject to tearing itself up if not secured and routed correctly.

Playfield parts can be hard to find if needed such as the Mongol's, rings, etc.

If you want a game that you need to learn the rules, shots,work to get a decent score and most people do not enjoy it buy a Shadow. Its as much fun as TZ and I sold both of them and not missed.

If you want a much better looking (IMHO), fun and enjoyable game get a Wh20.