Here's the better quality image released today.

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Oooh, shiny.

Can't wait til this sucker is released so I can go over B9's house and play it.

Not really sure how I feel about the two upper playfields I guess I would need to play it before judging that one. Seems like it may somewhat kill the flow though. Please don't get defensive just an observation I hope it is a spectacular pin. That shot from right flipper through the trees looks like a fun and challenging one.

rumor has it that the game will be at an arcade 5 minutes from my house after release

Looks like it is coming together!!

The pin is probably great but the licence, yeah, no. Sorry to hate on Jersey Jack, it's great that there is a new entrant to the pinball market, but couldn't the theme have been something else. Really anything else. Make it Open heart surgery themed for all I care! Just please realize this licence has limited appeal. Next time, maybe something unlicensed could be done. Now that'd be great! Unless Jersey Jack want's to be the next Stern, making only licensed pins. :/

Can't wait to see some color on that play field

Well "limited appeal" is certainly not the issue here with all the pre orders and buzz....

I have passed on recent Sterns to add second JJ title...assuming WOZ is great...Patience! Many great machines to come.

Dudes, I know people hate on this theme (and Im not really an OZ fan), but I think im WAY more excited for this release than I was for Transformers.

The THEME has limited appeal. It's not going to stop tons of people from buying it because of the hype over the playfield and gameplay. In the case of a machine as hyped as this, theme definitely won't deter too many people from buying. Nonetheless, it is still a terrible terrible theme.

Not only has the theme not deterred people from buying it but the theme has brought many new pinballers into the mix....no doubt....

And many, including myself, think the theme is fine....

The theme produced the most successful slot machine in history and was clearly intended to draw more outsiders in and apparently it worked...it's a universal theme that appeals to the masses

Last time I checked the THEME has everything to do with the play field totally and game play to a lesser extent....

I think that it will have wide appeal. It is well known and family friendly without being "cutesy". The ultimate value after the production run sells out will depend on the quality of play, of course.

I think all you speculators should go to Vegas and put your money on the sure thing !!

I can't get over how people say this is the best thing ever and no one has even played it?

It might be great , it might suck ? Who knows ..

Jim

@ DrStarkweather - Nice avatar! I STILL BELIEVE!!! (sax solo)

I didn't see anybody in this thread say they thought it was going to be the best thing ever. So I'm not sure where you're getting that from?!?

But yes... You're right. It could be great or it could suck. We won't know until we play it. Considering that I bought one I'm really hoping it leans toward great though.

The theme is fine and a wise choice on JJP's part. It is a "safe" choice that is universally known and could potentially broaden the appeal of pinball. JJP is trying to reach people who don't currently buy pinball machines as well as those who do. In other words they're trying to expand the market. You don't do that by making an original themed Zombie Hookers from the 8th Dimension pin.

You're right ! I should have wrote "think" instead of '"say" My bad .

Jim

WOZ is going to be the BEST THING EVER!!!

I kiiiid, I kiiiid, honda!

But...

davis.JPG

"If peeing in your pants is cool, consider me Miles Davis."

With the team that JJP has assembled and with Jack's experience,desire and motivation for pinball,I really believe this will be a great pin!There is already 1000 buyers that think so too.Time will tell although I think it is a very good gamble.

I realize that Oz is the all time greatest video slot, but is that the same demographics pinball is pandering to? Theme kills me wanting JJP first pinball machine. Would love to play one out of curiosity of what a new company is doing, but that has nothing to do with the theme.

Things I do like: Competition
More choices, innovation, etc..., when I saw Gary Stern taking notes and listening to Jack's speech at PPE, I knew that Gary was not going to be complacent like he has the last few years. He was eliminating features (playfield braces, flipper protectors, lock down mechs,) and even contemplating doing away with DMD animation. Incomplete software, list goes on.

Since JJP came along, he has rehired George Gomez and Steve Ritchie and has started to cater to collectors. Just speculation, but this would not have happened without competition.

The only drawback is I hope that the market is big enough to support two companies, as one company was barely making it without competition.

thanks man! "I still believe...in pinball!"

I would bet it will be one of the best ever. I said it!

Heck,
I will support FOUR companies if that helps build a stronger Pinball community!
They take "Tales of Adventure" as payment, right?

If I had one on order I would say it is going to be the best ever too! Good luck to all that buy!

Jim

Well it's not about having it on order its the facts that have been released so far. This pin is going to have everything one could want in a pin. Then again it could bomb I suppose. I doubt it though.

Don't you mean "DA BOMB!" coast???

I haven't bought it, the new pics look most impressive. Quite simply, I can't afford it. I'm actually surprised people haven't posted up the new pics.

Maybe they already have been posted up, my new job function isn't allowing so much screwing around at work.

107[1].jpg

I thought the most successful modern slot machine theme was Wheel Of Fortune, but okay then.

And that the most successful slot machine theme over history (like once they got past the introduction of EM slots, and actually started giving them themes) had been either Flaming Sevens or the various Double Diamond Themes (DD, DD Deluxe, DD Haywire, DD Re-spin, Triple Diamond, Triple Diamond Deluxe, Triple Double Diamond Deluxe, Triple Triple Diamond, Double Diamond Deluxe Club Model, the list goes on...)

Anyway, everyone who replied to me makes very valid points, I guess it's just different strokes for different folks, cause I definitely think the theme is two cutesy. :/

i am not too caught up on themes myself. it's all in the way the game plays. i think sttng is a geeky theme and never would watched one episode, yet i like the game.

the shadow is a really lame movie but the machine rocks.

wizard of oz, as a theme, i actually have no problem with. i am betting this machine will still bare many more suprises before all is said and done.

with the people building this machine and jack at the helm i am sure it will be a slam dunk

everything rides on this machine for jjp, failure is not an option.

I like the theme and it will certainly add variety to the themes in my collection. Regardless, I like what I am seeing so far...

Looking at the top 100 almost all of the pins are licensed themes. The best selling pins in numbers are licensed themes. If JJP went with an unlicensed theme everybody will be saying he was stupid for not getting a license because nobody will want it because it has no appeal. Why does everybody keep talking about the theme? this thread is about the inserts. Lots of them, looking like they are making progress. I am hopeful the pin will be released on time.

Last time I was in Vegas I noticed a lot of Wizard of Oz slots. They were very popular with the slot community(grandmas). I don't think those grandmas will be playing the WOZ pin. Ironically I think that those same grandmas would look down on it as one of those illegal gambling pins from their youth. But I still think that pinball could have a revival if it included a redemption element to it. And I can't wait to play WOZ. But I will be very dissapointed if there is no song from Dark Side of the Moon in it.

Well there are a lot of Grannys playing slots in Vegas! As a guy that plays slots on downtime from craps and sports betting I guarantee you WOZ has mostly middle aged and younger people playing the machines, the granny's don't know how to play the machine....too old school.....I don't mind losing money as much while I'm entertained!

Even if you don't like the theme, the LCD will draw you in....and when you do actually get a theme you like with LCD....you may not want another DMD except as a collector or for old school 777's one armed bandit type playing!

Wheel of Fortune, Monopoly, Star Trek...etc., whatever new machine or theme you can think of all have LCD and animation incorporated in the gameplay now in Vegas......and that is what JJP knows and will capitalize on!

I just hope they "rethink" those slipper flippers. Maybe just ruby colored standard ones instead of the shoe mold. Maybe with art on the PF it will look better though.

The WOZ theme is very weak from a pinhead perspective, but will draw in new players at family friendly locations.

News flash... Those don't exist anymore

Jim

I am pretty sure we were getting two sets erak.
One set with the slippers (installed), one set standard (Yellow?) in goodie bag...

And where do those redemption games go that JJ also manufactures?

Oh yeah

So again with the theme being bad for pinball, and the WOZ forum posts appear to be the most popular on Pinside. Is Transformers generating this kind of buzz? hmmm.

Take a guess? Because you know Transformers, is going to have that Stern look and feel that's been on the last however many games. I would have thought about Tron, but when I look at the line up - BBH, IM, Avatar, TRS, and Tron - IM is the only one I really like to buy NIB. We're going on 3 years here.

As a theme, what are we talking about? Rockets, explosions, bombs, rock n' roll, big big titties?

Is there even a pair of boobs on Rolling Stones? What are we looking for here?

It is rather strange how polarizing the whole WOZ theme is.

You either love it, or hate it; so it seems.

No need to hate on the only maker of pins for the last decade to point out that JJP has created a lot of buzz. Sterns releases do not generate as much hype because they have been making pins every year for a very long time now.

But in getting more on topic I think most of us hope JJP is a success. I know I sure do. However, I really can't blame some pinheads for pointing out that the slippers and the cab art they have seen so far would prevent them from wanting to buy it. That is okay not every pin is for everyone. It is an exciting time for pinball I don't think we need to hate on one pinball maker to support the other.

Exiting time or exciting time Dude? Freudian slip?

Or just a simple typo..

The hype of JJP is only natural given the fact that they claim to save nothing in the persuit to build the best and most lavish pinball machine they possibly can. Enough to make anybody smile.

Added to this, the gradual opening the blinds to the game and the devolopement has been a marketing masterpiece. But it will likely only be this open for this first game.

And it hasn't hurt the interest, that Williams brand has been mentioned and referenced again and again.

Please don't make Stern games any worse than they are because of this. Atleast it is nice to see them stepping up on staff, marketing, LE goodies and -hopefully we'll see- themes as well.

I will support them both! JJP and his entrance into pinball with a great team and new technology as well as Stern getting Ritchie,Gomez and Lyman back as well as their new hires and stepping up there game!!!
It is really going to be great time for pinball innovation coming up!!!

You didn't quote it so it never happened.

They are not just referencing Williams, they are using their parts. He has even retooled to make widebody lockdown bars. This will be great for the entire hobby.

I will as well, I want to get a SM after WOZ gets to the house.

Look at the top 10 pins--a full 50% of them are unlicensed. (Stats work any way you want them to!) Actually, I count more than 50% of the top 100 games on IPDB being *UN*licensed. (Even more if you count well-known themes that aren't actually movies or tv shows, like Corvette.) Also, most games made in the past 10-12 years have been licensed.

As for themes in general, for me it is all about the game itself. I'm not a fanboy who HAS to pre-order the new Transformers/Tron/whatever game sight unseen. (Those games are both pretty 'uninspired' imo, to put it politely, regardless of theme.) I'm also not a fan of LotR, yet I love the game and bought an LE because of the gameplay. I also think CV, MM, AFM, TOM etc. are excellent games that I hope to own someday, but none of them are licensed themes. 2 games I *might* buy based on theme alone are Beavis & Butthead, and Monty Python. (Although South Park was a pretty disappointing pin despite the excellent theme.)