Alien (Standard)
Pinball Brothers, 2020
Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (CE)
Jersey Jack, 2019Two games which people either love or hate. Two games with questionable resale.
My heavily customised Alien SV can go towards a mint wonka CE with dollars from me as well.
Just really getting satisfying play from Alien now. Always wanted to try a wonka. The CE does look pretty. Don’t come up often.
Anyone owned both. Should I do it?
Quoted from gumnut01:Two games which people either love or hate. Two games with questionable resale.
My heavily customised Alien SV can go towards a mint wonka CE with dollars from me as well.
Just really getting satisfying play from Alien now. Always wanted to try a wonka. The CE does look pretty. Don’t come up often.
Anyone owned both. Should I do it?
I feel like almost everything has a questionable resale value right now. I own Wonka and still enjoy it, never had any major issues with it, pretty much problem free. Smoother shooter compared to Alien. Tough call. I kinda like the Alien theme better but Wonka is a fantastic pin. I'm kinda in the same boat. I keep thinking I want to trade Wonka to try out Godfather but then I play Wonka and can't part with it.
Don’t get me wrong Alien is much better than it’s rating in pinside. The modes are awesome. It shoots different to a stern and there has been a small amount of reliability issues. But the support has been better than most. Exceptional. I really love it, but both wife and I play and she doesn’t like it as much. Just respects it. I swapped out LOTR for Batman and couldn’t be happier. So I was wondering if this for wonka would be the same. I’ve owned a pirates and alien compared to it shits all over it in depth. Alien is maligned. Just curious how wonka is. To me the theme is just as strong.
Quoted from pcprogrammer:I feel like almost everything has a questionable resale value right now. I own Wonka and still enjoy it, never had any major issues with it, pretty much problem free. Smoother shooter compared to Alien. Tough call. I kinda like the Alien theme better but Wonka is a fantastic pin. I'm kinda in the same boat. I keep thinking I want to trade Wonka to try out Godfather but then I play Wonka and can't part with it.
Exactly this, I was going to get rid of Wonka several times and play it before advertising it then no way is this game going anywhere. Pure imagination is crazy cool albet short but cool as heck!
I’d keep alien. I used to not be a fan of wonka but it has grown on me and definitely shoots better. But wonka is, not quite sure how to put it, uninspired and soulless when it comes to code and presentation. It’s coded well, just same old JJP/KJ rules. Which honestly might be a great fit in your collection since you don’t have any JJP games and the only other KJ game you have is Simpson’s.
Quoted from timtim:I’d keep alien. I used to not be a fan of wonka but it has grown on me and definitely shoots better. But wonka is, not quite sure how to put it, uninspired and soulless when it comes to code and presentation. It’s coded well, just same old JJP/KJ rules. Which honestly might be a great fit in your collection since you don’t have any JJP games and the only other KJ game you have is Simpson’s.
Completely disagree. Wonka's ruleset varies a good amount compared to other JJP pins and the entire presentation package for the game is one of the best in pinball. Joe Katz is the lead programmer on Wonka, not Keith Johnson. I've owned Wonka for a couple years now and really enjoy it, amazing shooter with a lot going on rules and mech wise IMO. The collecting Golden Tickets concept is very cool and a number of modes offer various depth depending on how they are started (Kid MB for example).
Quoted from timtim:I’d keep alien. I used to not be a fan of wonka but it has grown on me and definitely shoots better. But wonka is, not quite sure how to put it, uninspired and soulless when it comes to code and presentation. It’s coded well, just same old JJP/KJ rules. Which honestly might be a great fit in your collection since you don’t have any JJP games and the only other KJ game you have is Simpson’s.
I used to have pirates. Simpsons is awesome.
My wife is more coordinated than me. So she hits the ramps without thinking. But she just likes to play and have fun. So when I say in alien you have to hit the blue arrow and none of the green, she’s not going to spend the time setting up the shots. Hoping that wonka flows well has some modes, but some depth for me. Godzilla sits well as does maiden, walking dead and even Jurassic park. As long as things shoot well and stuff to do on the surface but deeper stuff underneath is good. God I hope it has more soul than pirates. Pirates had great MB and gold mechanic, modes were rubbish. Mini wizards crap except for one.
Had both. Wonka by a country mile. Liked Alien at first until I realized that you can see just about everything the game has to offer after a few games.
Hated the blind left outlane area and feeding the upper flipper was a crap shoot. Could have been a good game but flawed playfield geometry.
Quoted from timtim:I’d keep alien. I used to not be a fan of wonka but it has grown on me and definitely shoots better. But wonka is, not quite sure how to put it, uninspired and soulless when it comes to code and presentation. It’s coded well, just same old JJP/KJ rules. Which honestly might be a great fit in your collection since you don’t have any JJP games and the only other KJ game you have is Simpson’s.
What is funny about this post is how accurate I believe it is. Once a person has a couple of JJP games it seems the same feel game to game. I tired to get the 2 JJP games furthest apart in feel wise being GnR and WW, until a new game comes along outside the feel of those 2 I won't be getting anymore JJP games. Tried TS4 but it wasn't better feeling then either GnR or WW.
Maybe this is why JJP are losing value now, glad I got out of my TS4 when I did.
Definitely no clear winner here. Really surprised considering the pinside rating differences on these 2. I definitely do not like GNR. Shame I’m in a different state that the wonka so cannot test. It may just come down to money. Or my lack of it. Would have expected some real wonka advocates to chime in.
Quoted from gumnut01:Definitely no clear winner here. Really surprised considering the pinside rating differences on these 2. I definitely do not like GNR. Shame I’m in a different state that the wonka so cannot test. It may just come down to money. Or my lack of it. Would have expected some real wonka advocates to chime in.
Well, I’ve got no room to talk comparing the two as I’ve only played a handful of games few years ago when Heighway pinball turned out a few of the machines before the fiasco.
I’m not a fan of the Alien franchise, but others have told me the movies were integrated well.
I own Wonka LE and would love to have a CE. Seeing your collection this game will feel like it plays slowly. The flow is great, but its velocity is not like Godzilla/Deadpool/IMDN.
I like Wonka for its depth, various was to approach the game when you first start along with its stacking. These options changes the way you play.
Theme integration is spot on, but agree I don’t understand why the movie chips are added with no audio.
Ummpa-Loompa mode is crazy… various modes are psychedelic like in a good way. It’s satisfying.
I’ve only got 4 golden tickets once. The shots to the ramps remind me of AFM… they feel wide open, but yet satisfying.
The magnets integrated is a nice touch… fun when they are activated.
You got a lot of Sterns… Alien will slide right into your collection easy. wonka woudl work, but for sure folks will notice the difference how it shoots, flow compared to other games.
Would love your collection and the space required to fit them all.
Quoted from gliebig:Had both. Wonka by a country mile. Liked Alien at first until I realized that you can see just about everything the game has to offer after a few games.
Hated the blind left outlane area and feeding the upper flipper was a crap shoot. Could have been a good game but flawed playfield geometry.
Can anyone else comment on the game getting old quickly? I want the game but not if it isn't deep/lacks lastability.
Quoted from zermeno68:Well, I’ve got no room to talk comparing the two as I’ve only played a handful of games few years ago when Heighway pinball turned out a few of the machines before the fiasco.
I’m not a fan of the Alien franchise, but others have told me the movies were integrated well.
I own Wonka LE and would love to have a CE. Seeing your collection this game will feel like it plays slowly. The flow is great, but its velocity is not like Godzilla/Deadpool/IMDN.
I like Wonka for its depth, various was to approach the game when you first start along with its stacking. These options changes the way you play.
Theme integration is spot on, but agree I don’t understand why the movie chips are added with no audio.
Ummpa-Loompa mode is crazy… various modes are psychedelic like in a good way. It’s satisfying.
I’ve only got 4 golden tickets once. The shots to the ramps remind me of AFM… they feel wide open, but yet satisfying.
The magnets integrated is a nice touch… fun when they are activated.
You got a lot of Sterns… Alien will slide right into your collection easy. wonka woudl work, but for sure folks will notice the difference how it shoots, flow compared to other games.
Would love your collection and the space required to fit them all.
Thanks so much! I actually spoke to the guy I bought Alien from. Who did not like alien at all. He bought a wonka soon afterwards. He then sold wonka. Asked him why. Said two reasons. Flipper feel and convoluted rules. I’m ok with flipper feel. Alien definitely slower than my sterns. I don’t just want another stern which is why I didn’t go for Foo. I was ok with the different feel of Alien and I owned pirates and was ok with flipper feel. The worst flipper feeling game I have is TSPP. too clicky. Convoluted rules is ok, as long as others can enjoy shooting without knowing rules. Alien was all about aiming for a particular shot and being punished if you made a different shot (acid, finding Jonesy, apv), I liked that but makes it hard for casual gamers.
At the end of the day when you’re intrigued by a game, you sort of have to give it a go for a while in a home setting to tell for yourself. When I first got Ehoh I thought it was an easy uninspired shooter with cheesy anal jokes. But man, I love that game now. I just wanted to hear whether Wonka was a complete catastrophe, it’s heartening that people have not said Alien is shit, cos it’s not.
So I guess now I just have to convince wife on money and see how I go. Even though the CE will cost me a few grand more, I don’t think I will lose as much as if I got the cheaper LE. the 2nd hand market is a crap fest at the moment in Australia.
I own an Alien and if I take the theme out of the equation, I think Wonka is a WAY better shooter and overall game. Alien has killer theme integration and audio, but has an inferior playfield. Great ramps, totally unpredictable shots. Wonka at least you can get better and learn the shots.
To the person who downvoted me for starting this thread, just letting you know I google these vs threads all the time. I like this vs that and learn a lot about the pros and cons of each pin. Individual reviews of one pin isn’t always as insightful. Take this thread who would have thought alien and wonka would be neck and neck?
Of course I try a game first if I can. But trying a pin is nowhere like owning a pin for a few years. And yes, I may prefer chicken you may prefer steak but I actually find these reviews good reading. If no one ever likes these threads why did SDTM do so many “this or that”. It’s all fun.
Edit: removed negativity
Quoted from gumnut01:...ntinuously saying someone else’s opinion isn’t valid is a waste of your time. If you don’t like these threads just skip them. Plenty of other threads for you to shit on.
Looking at the other side of it he didn't do any of that, he just down voted you instead, which is one of the points of downvotes.
Instead, you kind of made all the negative points in the thread 
Now, back to the discussion!
Quoted from pcprogrammer:Now I'm in the same boat after playing a really great GNR LE that was dialed in nicely. Now I want to trade my Wonka for it but I don't know if I'll regret it.
I let GNR CE go. Wife is happy as hell with Wonka CE. Admittedly, I like the way WONKA plays over GNR.
Quoted from gumnut01:Polls getting quite close. Anyone own both and care to comment?
Own both (Wonka LE and Alien LV) and would have a tough time choosing. They really have much different vibes, layouts, flow, rule depth, etc. Hard to compare. But like them both quite a bit.
Quoted from VALIS666:Own both (Wonka LE and Alien LV) and would have a tough time choosing. They really have much different vibes, layouts, flow, rule depth, etc. Hard to compare. But like them both quite a bit.
Yeah I like them both. I’ve had my Wonka now for only 2 days.
Wonka shoots faster and is a much more frantic place. Wonka is easier to shoot but has a good tricky cross shot.
They can both drain at the wrong moment! The out of pops in wonka can be fun seeing 2 plunges going sdtm. Wonka is fun in a crazy haphazard way. I’ve really connected with this now after a cold start.
Alien is like a street level with some fairly ordinary ramps. It uses the 3 orbits, flipper feeds, loop behind the out lane and targets really really well. The ramps are still great, just not as satisfying as wonka ramps.
Alien is much more immersive, the modes are awesome and really different from each other. Movie tie ins are 2nd to none.
Wonka doesn’t have the same feeling with modes or the sense of urgency but there is heaps more breadth in wonka. Much more randomness.
They’re both great games. If a friend hadn’t tempted me with the wonka CE trade then I would have kept alien for another year or so. Because there is no other pinball experience like it. But, I think the same can be said for wonka. Its layout is far different from anything I own. Still undecided if it is a flawed layout with the pops, but then I love my TWD as well. Wonka call-outs and movie clips are really well done. They are well timed and create the Wonka universe without making you sick of the movie.
I’ve had games in both, where after getting grand champ, I step back and say “Woah!”
2 4 flipper games which are different as you can get. Wonka is more frantic, rampy and fast. Alien is a calculating shooter. A bit slower but has speed up its sleeves when you least expect it. The 3rd airlock shot can rocket back through the right orbit. Both have great magnet work which adds fun but doesn’t shit you (TWD!!!)
For anyone who has a Stern collection and wants something different in their lineup. I recommend either of these. Both great games which have a different feel to stern and just great themes.
To the person who wants to trade wonka for GNR, why not? If you’re ready to trade do it. There’s enough of all 3 titles listed here to trade and then get them back again.
Wife much prefers wonka to alien. And she was dead against the trade. She said that even though she didn’t enjoy alien as much as say maiden, she respected it and thought it was still great. She’s now deep into wonka.
1EA8C9AD-830E-41CD-BAD4-CAD4F620D2A6 (resized).jpeg7043BC18-D870-47A7-ABD8-E19D5C872831 (resized).jpegQuoted from gumnut01:To the person who downvoted me for starting this thread, just letting you know I google these vs threads all the time. I like this vs that and learn a lot about the pros and cons of each pin. Individual reviews of one pin isn’t always as insightful. Take this thread who would have thought alien and wonka would be neck and neck?
Of course I try a game first if I can. But trying a pin is nowhere like owning a pin for a few years. And yes, I may prefer chicken you may prefer steak but I actually find these reviews good reading. If no one ever likes these threads why did SDTM do so many “this or that”. It’s all fun.
Edit: removed negativity
Robin calls it the disagree button.
Quoted from gumnut01:To the person who downvoted me for starting this thread, just letting you know I google these vs threads all the time. I like this vs that and learn a lot about the pros and cons of each pin. Individual reviews of one pin isn’t always as insightful. Take this thread who would have thought alien and wonka would be neck and neck?
Of course I try a game first if I can. But trying a pin is nowhere like owning a pin for a few years. And yes, I may prefer chicken you may prefer steak but I actually find these reviews good reading. If no one ever likes these threads why did SDTM do so many “this or that”. It’s all fun.
Edit: removed negativity
As the resident "outspoken moderator" on the website, I will let you know that some people abuse the downvote system. Don't let them get you down, brother.
Quoted from gumnut01:Did the dirty deed. Nothings forever!! Can always get alien back again if I feel the itch. Thanks everyone!
Congrats! I really like my Wonka CE - especially the different flipper feel on it. A fun and very colorful game that also has nostalgic appeal for me.
Alien intrigues me as the theme is cool and I understand that it's an immersive game. I've only had very limited play on it though.
Quoted from Tuna_Delight:Congrats! I really like my Wonka CE - especially the different flipper feel on it. A fun and very colorful game that also has nostalgic appeal for me.
Alien intrigues me as the theme is cool and I understand that it's an immersive game. I've only had very limited play on it though.
Thanks! Agree with Wonka from what I’ve seen.
Well just closed the poll. Results are 29 votes a piece. 50/50 split. Looks like there is no clear winner. Both great games in their own way. Thanks to everyone that contributed. It’s good to read reviews from owners, especially those that own or have owned both.
Quoted from gumnut01:It’s like trying to say whether you prefer Dune Imperium to Everdell.
Do you ever happen to visit the Board Game players' thread?
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/any-board-game-players-out-there
For the record: Dune Imperium all day (and with Rise of Ix expansion.)
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Sydney
Prescott, WI