This has got to be one the more fun games to come along in the last 10 to 15 years ! Well done JJP. You are truly finding your grove now!

Elton John is Not my favorite. The EJ Pinball is very nice. With nice Flow. A very good Steve Richie Pin and for me the best JJP so far.

The best of Steve Ritchie! Not a big fan of the music or theme but it all works great, game is fun and shoots like a dream. If it was $9-10K I would almost certainly buy one.

Hoping one of the 2 new arcades opening locally get one to play!

Wow: this game is just simply incredible.

Pro’s:
Amazing flowing layout by Steve Ritchie: not a bad shot on the table, and when your accuracy is strong, the game starts turning into one of the best flowing games I’ve ever seen, if not the best.

THE LIGHTSHOW!!! This game seriously has the best lighting package I’ve ever seen on a pinball machine, hands down. Unlike GNR, however, the lighting does a fantastic job at communicating game rules, and it never feels like you are too lost or blinded, while simultaneously rewarding the player with gorgeous light shows that show the genius of the software and hardware designers at JJP.

The rules blend classic, old school, simplistic pinball rules with a level of modern polish, love, and added depth only present on modern games, leading to a fun, balanced, and easy to understand rule set.

The art work on this game is absolutely stunning. In combination with the lighting, the game literally shines while you play it, and just looks stunning even when turned off! The inserts also do a good job in terms of communication, further benefiting the art. The animations are fantastic as well, and work great with the theme.

Sound is so incredibly well done: even if you aren’t an Elton John fan, the sound design, mixing, and speaker quality is unmatched.

Con’s:
There are, like most people have said, no real toys. However, I don’t find that to be particularly important, and the gorgeous looks and amazing gameplay more then make up for it.

The semi-simplistic rule set might get a little tiring on some when in a private collection, though it still has a lot going for it.

The plunge could admittedly be better designed IMO. Mainly, I wish plunges to the pop bumpers were not possible.

Overall, a gorgeous, fantastic game. Seek it out or buy it! It’s easily JJP’s best game, and it’s a certain modern classic.

The art, the lighting and the music are top notch…blow you away. Shots are great and satisfying. Playfield isn’t as busy as a lot of new releases or JJP’s GNR, but it works. Highly recommend Elton.

Easiest my favorite game of the last 10 years. I’ve had Wonka, GnR, Toy Story and WOZ and Elton is my favorite. It has surprising depth.

(I’d say half the music pins made have enough depth to bring you back again and again. The other half are just a kids music/art project and it’s great to admire but the novelty wears off — especially if you buy pins and real estate is limited.).

Personally, I love GnR but because of the music and the experience — and not so much the rule set and progression. I think Zeppelin gets play and may stay in a collection because of the music and fandom alone.

Rush is one of my music pin holy grails — deep music for a rabid fandom, really great use of band members, and one of the coolest playfields Stern has put together (one that I think would be perfect reskinned as Back to the Future). Queen is more of the art/music school project but a must have for serious Queen fans.

Foo Fighters is in a league of its own as well. Quickly becoming a “keep” option for me. However I don’t think it’s a holy grail. I know, it’s a hoot to play with sophisticated shots and a great rule set. I just don’t like it as much as Elton John. On Foo, for me, it’s the sound mix. There’s something off at times with storyline and incorporation of music. Other times it is so straight forward you wonder if it’s still a mode as opposed
to just a music video in the background of a 9/10 game.

And then there’s this game, Elton John. Elton is a holy grail music pin. It’s absurdly fun and there is so much to do, non-Elton fans still dig it and want to come back to it. I’ve had friends play GnR once, really enjoy it, and then never play it again (at least at my place). Elton is like a siren’s call — it kills it on replayability by keeping all three + balls relevant to the song and your game so cohesively that it feels like you just “did a thing” in the game — even if your game was short-lived. The plunger isn’t a “pause in the action” or an aggravating rule reset. It’s just part of the game and experience that you’re having. There are times when the game gets so fast you may think you’re out of control but trust your pinball feelings as the defensive shots are intuitive and fun.

Amen to the designers who understand that having to restart a song or not qualify for one at all is a coingiver nightmare - not enough immediate gratification. In GnR, despite JJPs forethought, (having it qualify for a song on your last ball regardless of how much you’re sucking), I’ve seen plenty of arcaders walk away because they didn’t feel they could get to the good stuff quickly enough — or at times, at all. For newbies and arcades, the player still needs to hit that center shot — and there’s a good number who can’t on demand. That’s when you lose them. If you play two games and there’s no real game play in a full song mode - you can kiss the newbie and arcader goodbye.

The opposite is true with Elton. Songs continue through ball progression and so do most of the quests. There is surprising cohesiveness throughout the entire game from ball to ball. It’s addictive in that way.

And as for rockets — this game’s toys are slick. There were some complaints about Toy Story having cake topper toys. Not on Elton. The game is just visually stunning and the light show and toy gimmicks are so well done… it’s hard to imagine “needing” a mod. I am saving up for the CE. I absolutely LOVE my PE. Plan is to keep both.

Obligatory Elton fan disclosure: like 75% of the pin tunes; love 50% of the pin tunes; and find the last 25% meh. There are maybe 5 songs that I would never turn the dial on. I’d put me at a 7.5 out of 10 - which correlates with my other (also helpful scale) - “Would I buy a ticket to see Elton John? Answer:
2000s until now, No.
1990s, No.
late 80s, no.
75 to 85, YES.
It is also a “yes” to the concerts Billy Joel did with him during the “face to face” tour. So again, I think a 7.5/10.

It might be the beer talking but this game is effing fun!!

First let me say I love Elton John music! Secondly, music pins are my thing, when I can connect with the audio and flow of a game, it becomes an elevated experience. Games like ACDC, Iron Maiden, KISS, Rush and Led Zeppelin premium, are some of my favorite titles. I had heard many people say EJ is beautiful, but I was not prepared for just how stunning it would be. Before I even hit the start button, I couldn’t stop staring at the game. Visually, this game is a masterpiece! The art and light show elevate this game to a level no other game can compete with. Upon hitting the start button and choosing your song, you quickly learn how good the sound is………crisp, clear and EJ music! Unlike other JJP games, this game doesn’t sound like a glorified slot machine! From the first plunge this game is an absolute speed demon. The flow is incredible and allows for lots of fast combos. I don’t care if you hate EJ music, no one can deny this is the best shooting JJP ever, in part because of the amazing layout, but also because they finally fixed the flipper feel! This games shoots like a Stern! YES!!! As you progress through the game you unlock many magical pinball moments, the kind of moments where you want to rewind time and see it again in slow motion. My only criticism of the game is the general animation screen progresses more like a power point slide show, with images cycling through and animations popping up upon hitting certain shots. It’s not bad, just not as good as other games like GNR, where the concert footage is synced up. Jack explained in a seminar that the licensor did not want synched video, so I guess this is the best they could do. I love this game and since playing it, my brain keeps telling me it’s the greatest game ever created, but I am having a hard time admitting it, especially since I am such an Stern fanboy! Even as I type this review, I can here the game calling me back to it………one more game Nick!

I own a JJP GNR, although I love the sync music/led, the game plays slow and not as fun as a STERN. Elton John falls in this same category. I liked iit, but would not buy it.

Lighting is so over the top, it distracts from game play. Music is great. Shots are fun but not that novel.

Steve Ritchie showed what he can do when he is allowed to design a game the way he wants to. Shots are Ritchie flow, and there's alot of them to take and make. The music catalog is great, and the lady call out voice fits in nicely. The art package is great, and the piano playing Elton and the mini screen are all nice touches. Animation is well done. I want to play this game, alot.

Elton is a blast to play!!! Keeps me coming back for another game!!! Surprised in how much I enjoyed this game. Jersey Jack's best playing and shooting pin to date!!!

The best JJP pin yet! So much flow, great shots, speed, and the flippers just feel better than other JJPs.

The theme wasn’t initially exciting to me even though I am a fan of EJ, but after playing it it really conveyed the right vibe. It’s absolutely beautiful as well, great light show and artwork.

The modes are fun, fairly easy to understand what to do, and challenging enough without feeling too hard. The speed of this machine adds to the challenge but it’s not frustrating. You want to play it over and over again.

The price tag is way too high to buy but happy to play this on location.

Big Fan!

I own both PE and CE. First I received my PE in last november as an importer in Europe. I was amazed by the flow and the quality of the game. Yes I took part at TPF in last october and tested it, but now I own it at home and after dozens of games I can rate it. The flow is the best compared to all JJP games and again it brings us a different way of playing among their range of games. I wasnt so excited when I heard about the theme but I will always remember what Pat Lawlor told a few years ago when speaking on the booth at TPF speaking about an usual theme, or NON theme. PLAY AT FIRST A GAME BEFORE SPEAKING. Elton "Show" game should convince the players who up to day were claiming about the lack of flow, and too difficult game to understand. JJP gathered in this game all his skills: quality built, crazy mechanic toy, great flow, beauty of the game, fun, and the feeling "One more game I want to play".
Yes I love JJP games and again I assume my rating, this is a great game.
So play it, buy it if you can, but this is a game the whole familly will enjoy even if not fan of the singer.

Now that I received my CE I can compare.

With the PE you already had the crazy package: radcal, sparkling legs/lockbar/siderails.
So what else more for an CE? It is already great as it is, isnt it?

Now the CE is here and yes it does worth for a collector guy to have this one, despite difference price.
The topper is amazing, and the sparkling playfield too.
If you are just a player and you know you want to sell your game in a few months to get the next pinball to come, the PE is your best choice.

So to sum up, whatever is the version, this is a good choice.
If you cant buy it, insert a coin in a location place and enjoy this experience.

I am taking parts to plenty of pinball conventions in Europe and the feed back is above what you could imagine from players after a game on this pinball..
Everybody likes the game very much.

So now time to play and congratulations to JJP's team.

Wow. Not a JJP fan at all. Not a huge Elton John fan either. Wasn’t expecting much out of this…

If the theme was a dream theme this would be my top rated game I’ve maybe ever played. The light show is breathtaking, the flow is amazing, the toys are fun and the shirts are fast and satisfying.

I’m a little bummed that all this went into a theme I don’t care for( why couldn’t they have done this for godfather! Arggg). It is do beautiful and perfectly layed out that will need to purchase.

Really blown away by this pin

WOW! This really confirms the rumors that Stern pulls stuff out of games. I've never seen a Steve Richie game themed so perfect. I couple things are pointless like Elton Johns head turning side to side... my broke already. With that being said Steve Richie makes you forget really quick about that disaster LZ game. This is a masterpiece on every level from lighting, sound, artwork, layout its the whole package.

This is by far the best overall JJP game ever made. There is a new sheriff in town at JJP and his name is Steve Richie. After two boring games in a row from Eric (Guns and Godfather) Steve has shown up and showed out.

I can't wait to see Steve's next game. :I have to be honest when I heard Elton John I was like OH NO PLEASE... the music is better than I thought and the game is fun. To bad JJP has been picking disaster themes at least three in a row here... if this game this level of detail, this layout was on say Beastie Boys, Nirvana, Van Halen, or even Prince JJP would be making this game for a decade.

JJP stop picking bad themes and put Richie to work on a game that will ROCK the pinball community.

Even though I don't love the theme, the theme was NAILED! This is clearly Steves best game ever! Kudos.

Not an Elton John fan, but this game convinces me otherwise. The game is definitely a lot of fun and I can wait to see how much better it gets with code updates. Best JJP game I have ever played. Long live the Master of Flow!

This is a fun shooter with a familiar Steve Ritchie style layout, good music and light show. I am not a huge fan of the overall theme or artwork and there’s nothing truly special about the modes but you still can’t help walking away from the machine with a smile and that’s what pinball is about. Probably JJP’s best shooter to date.

Ever since I was a young boy I’ve played the silver ball. That would be over 55 years! Never written a pinball review before but felt I had to for this great masterpiece of a pin.

I have owned many machines over the years and currently have 32 pinball machines including the top 6 ranked Pinside pinball machines and think Elton John takes the cake.

The new Elton John Platinum Edition pin is a shooting jukebox on the 4th of July, faster than a rocket man and built like a tank. You just don’t want to stop playing. Almost 1,300 LED lights will take you right into the concert like you are a pinball playing rock star! This machine is a piece of art and could be the main piece of any living room. If you were going to own one pinball machine this is the one.

Ritchie’s best machine ever. Jersey Jack’s best machine ever. Best pinball machine ever! It’s FANTASTIC! Can’t wait for someone to top this game because I’ll buy it in a heart beat.

Although I would prefer Rob Zombie’s music, many of Eltons songs rock this machine. The ones that don’t seem to appeal to a diverse audience. I’m sure that’s one reason Jersey Jack chose this theme. For those of you who are not a fan of this theme just remember one of Elton’s big hits was Pinball Wizard. What better theme than that? There’s a reason Pete Thownsend of the Who had Elton cover his song.

The rule set is not as deep as Godzilla or Iron Maiden but gets the job done and you won’t be disappointed. One thing I like about Jersey Jack machines is the amount of backhand shots most of their machines have and this one has some major ones that makes the flow of this pin seem endless.

The price is worth every penny. 12k is a lot of dough but this machine delivers a lot of fun and will be one you will want to keep forever. This machine has it all except a ball eating shark and a plaque that calls it a table. It is loaded! You get what you pay for and more!

You’re gonna hear electric music, solid walls of sound!
Ya know you read it on Pinside, play another rouuuuuund!
Sh Sh Sh Sh Shoot the piano not the jets!

Sorry got carried away. I love this game but everyone has something they would change and here’s mine. The spinning tiny dancer girl, jet bumpers and the middle drop targets. All are a little bit lame and really don’t do much for me or the game but there is so many other things that do. Some of the slow songs I might change out for “Club at the End of the Street.” How did that song not make the cut? Maybe JJ can ask Elton to give that song up and add it to the next update! There is never a perfect game but this gets as close as it goes, so far, in my opinion and that’s why I give it a 10.

A classic from day one and will be Jersey Jack’s best seller of all time.
ENCORE, ENCORE!!!

Went to purchase a game and he had a PE that he let me play. I was not interested in the game due to the theme when it was announced but JJP knocked it out of the park. A week after playing it I had one. Game has amazing flow that rewards made shots by feeding the ball back to the flipper. Light show integration is the best of all time. You can feel the improvements they made to the flippers which felt weirdly disconnected while playing Toy Story. This makes Stern LE’s feel cheap and it comes with everything- topper, invisiglass, art blades, etc. as the base model.

Music can be a little slow at times but it’s playing a song in the background until you start something and just kind of falls into the background. Price is a little steep but compared to a stripped Stern where all the cool stuff got pulled due to budget, or American Pinball saving money on licensing which I have no doubt JJP had to pony up for I’d say it’s a better value. Wish there was a really cool toy besides the piano but I’m not sure where they would put it with all the ramps.

Overall I’d give the game a 9/10. If it was my dream theme with good integration like this I’d move it up to a 10/10. This will be a top 10 rated pinball of all time as of today.

Here it is... my first perfect score for a pin. I'm not particularly a fan of Elton John's music, though I do admit he has some certified bangers. I'm also not particularly a fan of Jersey Jack games, despite keeping 2 of them in my collection. So, to say I was not expecting much from Elton John would be an understatement.

But then I had a chance to play EJ, and watch better players play it, and I ended up ordering one for myself. It changed my mind after only a few games.

ADDENDUM: After a few games on this machine at home, I noticed some INCREDIBLE integration details that just left me stunned. Many may have noticed the callouts are in a hushed tone when the action is quiet, but when you play Pinball Wizard, there is astounding integration with the lyrics. On "blind," the machine goes completely dark for a fraction of a second. On "always gets a replay," the knocker taps lightly. And on "crazy flipper fingers," the flippers chatter.

If I could give the integration a 6 out of 5, I would.

Being a Jersey Jack game, I knew it would look pretty, but I don't think I was prepared for how this would look in person. I know it's a tired phrase at this point, but simply put, no photo or video equipment I'm aware of could accurately capture the lighting in person. In a word, it is stunning. It's bright, it's colorful, it's sparkly, it's dynamic... it's beautiful. And the LED panel wrapped around the piano is really cool, and when it does this sparkling effect, it's like a disco ball in your face. Crazy.

And the sound? In a word: incredible. It sounds like you're at a concert or listening to a live album on a great sound system. The music is bassy, clear, and seems to be at a quality sample rate. It's head and shoulders above prior music pins, and it's something Stern should take notice of, because it elevates the game.

But how does it play? Like the best of Steve Ritchie banged the very best of Steve Ritchie and had twins. As it has been noted, JJP finally addressed their weak flipper issues, and the flippers on Elton John are strong and snappy. They feel really excellent. The shots are flowy and satisfying, with a layout that is part Star Trek and part Spider-Man. That's not to say there isn't new stuff in this design. There's an interesting dead end shot that can capture the ball, an upper ramp that can divert to loop around, pop the ball into a physical lock in the piano, or drop the ball into the pops. There's a deadly bank of drop targets that unlock valuable rewards and complete hurry-ups. The upper flipper shots return the ball to the upper flipper to allow for repeat shots. There are several multiballs, combos to pick off, and rewards to collect. Even on early code, it's pretty feature-rich.

And perhaps most helpful at all are the callouts. Most of the callouts aren't Elton John, and are instead a rather non-descript British woman's voice. There's no apparent attempt at humor, and the delivery is more or less flat. Negative, right? Wrong. While I do wish there were more callouts from Elton John himself, the callouts are so clear and concise that they effectively help guide you to your next shot, while not detracting from the audiovisual madness playing out in front of you. Put another way, on a machine that overwhelms your senses, it's nice to have a voice of calm to latch onto.

If I had any gripes, it would be that I really dislike the spinner sound. It's an overpowering and cartoony fill-up sound, and I really hope JJP offers an update that allows you to replace it. Also, while most of the sculpts are nice, the dancer is a bit goofy looking.

I've only seen the Platiunum Edition in person, and have seen pics of the Collector's Edition. The topper for the CE looks incredible, with the laser lightshow and dual screens. I do, however, prefer the art and trim on the Platinum Edition. Were there a way to get the CE topper on the PE... best of both worlds. That's not to say the CE doesn't look nice, but it is a more understated cab design.

Jersey Jack has got a winner with Elton John. It is such a feast for the senses, and so fun and satisfying to flip, that it transcends its theme, offering something for everybody. This isn't just Jersey Jack's best game to date, but also Steve Ritchie's best game to date. Elton John is the first real threat to Godzilla for GOAT.

This is what pinball is all about. Elton John is just such a fun experience. The sound quality is top notch and the light show is amazing. Locking the balls in the piano to start the signature stage multiball while Love Lies Bleeding blasts out of the speakers is very satisfying. The game is quite fast and flows great. I appreciate all the little touches they put into the game too like the Elton John piano player toy being synchronized to the songs or when the lights blink off at the lyrics “deaf, dumb, and blind kid” in Pinball Wizard. As a pianist and lifelong Elton John fan, this theme made this pin a must have. That it also happens to be one of the most fun pinball experiences I have ever had is why I rank this a 10 out of 10. This one is special and a very welcome addition to my collection.

This is the best shooting JJP yet.

The layout is very good with most of the shots' being backhandable. The side ramp shot with the piano attached is very nice just as the center ramp shot. Those are my favorite shots in the game and the flippers are actually flipping pretty well for a JJP. My only complaint about the layout is the return from the center ramp. Maybe it was only the exact machine I played but the ball would constantly return dangerously so that only a live catch could help me out reliably. But other than that it's a pretty impressive and imaginative new layout.

I appreciate that the rules give you the option of playing different songs but I think you should be able to switch the song at the start of a new ball similar to Led Zeppelin.

The theming is very excessively done. I'm rather a fan of a more subtle theming like AC/DC for example. But I guess if you're a super Elton John fan you won't mind it. The same goes for the music as well.

All in all, Elton John is probably the best JJP so far with solid flippers, an innovative layout and nicely varied rules. I'm very glad to see that Steve Ritchie managed to create an outstanding layout for his JJP debut game.

When I first heard of Elton John being the next JJP offering I thought that it was a missed opportunities as far as theme goes. I knew that he was extremely talented but honestly, didn't cared much about him. Then I watched some gameplay, listened to the 16 songs that are in the game, watched the movie "Rocket Man" ... became a fan ... and had no choice but to buy the game.

When you think about it, this musical genius is eccentric, extravagant and extremely colorful, his music is iconic and timeless. One of his numerous hits is "Pinball Wizard", now tell me this is not a fantastic theme !

JJP knew better and I'm more than happy that they stick with it. Steve Ritchie did an extraordinary job on this, his best design as far as I'm concerned. This game makes you feel that it makes one with you as for everything you do, there is a reaction, almost like a living/breathing creature.

Light show is simply out of this world and will be the new standard by which every new game will be compared too. The 1294 playfield's LEDS are perfectly synchronized with the action and never fail to amaze and make your jaw drop. The music and excellent sound effects will give you goosebumps. Fun factor is thru the roof and the speed and fluidity of the action always keeps you on your toes. You can backhand almost every major shot which makes for a never ending action fest.

Art is wonderful all over and built quality is what we expect from JJP, there is not a single place where this game is not gorgeous to look at. A real work of art.

There is so many goosebumpy pinball moments that it would take too long to describe them all. The "3-2-1" sequence at the beginning of RocketMan multiball is one of the best pinball moment ever. Playfield is boiling orange and the rocket launcher is ready to shoot the ball into orbit, just wow.

Multiballs are extremely well integrated and you really have to earn them. It feels special (as it should) when you are getting one.

The only thing I'm not too fond of is that the pop bumpers don't see much action as they're kind of "trapped". I prefer when pops brings some speed/unpredictability to a game (Godzilla, Godfather, Wonka, Rick and Morty), this is a minor gripe I have but worth mentioning.

All sculptures are hand painted and having Elton playing the piano with his arms and head moving is like watching a mini human being trapped into this world under glass. It's a little creepy (in a good way) but fascinating and never gets old.

I'm a pretty good player and I don't see the day where I'll finish the code. While everything is quite easy to understand, it's very hard to accomplish because the game is fast as hell and there is tons of things to do.

I've been buying pinballs since 1995 and I've never had that much fun. Very highly recommended.