Found 5 ratings (with comment) on this game

Simple concept and game play

I picked this game up in pretty rough shape non working and missing the BG but only paid $200 for it.
Had I rated this one after the first couple days I would have said I hate the wierd in/out lanes holes. HOWEVER, after playing it for a couple months, I must say Its a cool feature. The lanes along with the center pin make you play the game totally different than a standard pin. It takes some getting used to, but I now really enjoy the refreshing change of playing style. The top rollovers are a must to knockdown (to qualify for the extra ball light) and they carry over from ball to ball. I set most SS games on 3 ball but with 4 top rollovers and 3 balls its near impossible to knock them all down in 3 balls so I set this one to 5 balls and work on the skill shot ball launch. The drop targets are a blast to pound away at and are good for target practice to knock the cards down in the correct order, coupled with the unique in lanes feature you really gotta pay attention. The only thing I wish is that you could turn off that HORRIBLE repetitive carnival music. Sounds are actually decent but that music SUCKS! I would like to play the EM version to compare the 2 but never have. Overall i find myself coming back to this one alot, Its a fun and interesting game and can be challenging to get the free ball. I plan on keeping it in my collection.

As others have said, this game is simple and addictive. Games are short and fun. I kind of like the music. I am a big fan of Ed Krynski's games and this one I am currently addicted to.

File this one under Operation: Carbon Copy.  Gottlieb took a great game (in Jacks Open), and replicated it using more modern technology.  Not really much difference in layout or rules here.  Same great card playing rules with a few more bleeps and bloops from the sound card.  This game has the same great scoring strategies as its predecessor.  The background tune may annoy some, but I think it adds the right amount of novelty…but only if you are familiar with the original wedgehead.  The playfield gets a pass from me, as I’ve seen much worse, and actually don’t mind the font and card design they chose to decorate it with.  The backglass, however,  is extremely garish, one of the worst from Gottlieb, post-EM.  This wouldn’t have happened on Gord Morison’s watch.  If given the choice between Jacks Open and Jacks to Open, I’d probably lean towards the original EM, but if there were a shortage of those games, and all that could be had was a Jacks to Open, I’d settle for it in an instant.  It’s that good of a game.

Jacks Open is one of those games that looks like there is nothing to do on the deck. The truth is that there isn't much to this game, but what is there is incredibly well balanced and challenging.

The Pros:
A deceptively simple and straightforward game that keeps you coming back like an old addiction that you cannot shake. For a game with only one real feature to it and a wide open PF... where does this game get it's game??? This is the talent that Master K exhibits in his creations. The "One more game" factor on this deck is through the roof! Beware the open inlane/ outlane gate as standard issue ball control techniques will fail you. Lazy and sloppy pinball players will get worked! The only feature of the game is 2/3rds the way up the PF and you'd better be on point with your aim! Missed shots come back down the PF an offer slow painful SDTM death or nasty bounces off passive (but if freshly rubbered) yet lively slings for careless shots.

The Cons:
Finding one in good shape seems to be difficult. It's also sad in the sense that this was one of the last great EM games that Gottlieb built and it represents the end of an era. Boy that space between the flippers seems to be Grand Canyon wide...

The Takeaway:
Another brilliantly balanced game by Master K! Granted the faster games of Williams and Bally were taking over Gottlieb's dominance of the marketplace at this time, but damn... this is a fantastic table to play. Yeah, this is Gottlieb going back to the well to try to keep up with their competitors, but this is still a solid deck.