Pinside rating

This game received 201 approved Pinsider ratings and currently rates 8.642 _/10

8.642

Top 100 ranking

This game ranks 1st in the game group "Pirates of the Caribbean (JJP)". The group itself ranks #7 in the Pinside Pinball Top 100.

Score breakdown

Score breakdown in the 4 main categories:

Game design: 8.757

Artwork: 8.459

Sounds/Music: 8.621

Other Aspects: 8.537

Rating comments

There are 81 rating comments for this game.

Pinside staff rating

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This game is part of a group

Note! There are multiple versions of this game!
This is "Pirates of the Caribbean (LE)".
The other versions are: Pirates of the Caribbean (regular version), Pirates of the Caribbean (CE)

Ranking history

An overview of this machine's ranking over the last years. Lower is better.

Rating history

An overview of this machine's rating over the last years. Higher is better.

Found 81 ratings (with comment) on this game

There are 81 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
Currently showing results page 1 of 4.

List options

9.860/10

3 days ago

BW

KingBW

Pinside member

3y 90,150 1,914 77 1

This is one of the best pinball machines we have played and owned. We've had it for 4 months now so the honeymoon phase should be over, but we still love this one a lot. We followed this one from the reveal, to playing prototypes, to playing the first production pin on the line at JJP (the first non-employees to play the production model), to playing a SE in a league, to finally owning a LE.

It takes about the first 20 or so times playing it to get a handle on what to shoot for and how to progress in the game. It's not "hard" to figure out, there is just a lot going on in this packed playfield. The rocking upper playfield with flippers on it is probably it's most unique feature. The shots all have a purpose in the plot/progressing of the pin and you really need to play it to understand it. Yes, there is a kind of quest to work your way through the game with several parallel paths to get to the super wizard mode (very hard to get to). With all the character selections at the beginning of the game with the advantages and disadvantages of each character, it creates several different approaches for strategy. The code is fantastic. The "gold collecting" for a multiball is pretty cool. The plundering creates some comradery and heckling that means something in multi-player games. The theming is great considering the licensing limitations. Sometimes games take a while to play, other times it can kick your butt. And that's one of the many reasons to keep pressing that start button. You can tell that Eric put a ton of effort into his first design, Keith and Joe supported that with a ton of effort in programming with lots of game variations, the Jean-Paul created animations that were done very well. David Thiel created some great music and sound effects that are theme appropriate and sound good. The call outs from the character "Gibbs" are very piratey.

The LE and CE have the RGB general illumination that accent the different chapters/modes/wizard modes. That little thing makes a big difference in a home environment, but probably not so much at a location with other pins and lights around it.

Give this game at least 20 tries.

4 Pinsiders starred this rating !

10.000/10

5 days ago

BGW

bgwilly31

Pinside member

Cincinnati, OH

3y 40,550 225 11 8

This game design just has that IT factor. Everybody that walks up to it and is just amazed at how cool the PF design looks. So many different shots. My favorite of my entire collection.

3 Pinsiders flagged this rating/review.

10.000/10

7 days ago

HEY

indypinhead

Pinside member

Indianapolis, IN

7y 89,400 5,551 38 7

This machine is TOTALLY awesome!

indypinhead currently owns this game.

3 Pinsiders flagged this rating/review.

9.320/10

11 days ago

VIC

vireland

Pin Monk

4y 133K 11,388 1 16 1

Music work on this game is fantastic, and the rule set is crazy in a good way. SO much to do, and a GREAT 2 player or more game with the plundering mechanic.

7.751/10

11 days ago

DD

davidlldennis

Pinside member

<1y 37,550 102 2 22

It's a clunky wide-body which requires a lot of tweaks to get dialed in... Art isn't great, and the theme is based on a meh movie series. It is fun to play, a long player and has many interesting shots. It would be much better in HUO environment, on location is just isn't right.

Edit: I see that all those who own the game rate it 9.5 or higher. My opinion is flagged because I didn't like the game that much? That's fair and balanced...

davidlldennis edited previous rating on May 21, 2019.

7 Pinsiders flagged this rating/review. 3 Pinsiders starred this rating !

9.900/10

18 days ago

MDM

PDX-Mike

Pinside member

Portland, OR

<1y 18,300 2 4 6

Winner winner chicken dinner!! This IMO is the current holy grail of pinball! This machine has it all, amazing shots, call outs, toys, artwork! Eric knocked it out of the park on this machine!!

PDX-Mike currently owns this game.

8.840/10

25 days ago

LEX

lexi

Pinside member

Sheffield

<1y 21,650 44 8 8

A great game from JJP and it is fantastic to have a number of pinball machine manufacturers competing with each other and creating pins right now in 2019 with a distinctive difference between each other. POTC is a fantastic machine. This review is for the CE edition rather than the LE so I dont have a comparison for differences between the two. The technology JJP has in this game is at the highest level.

The screen size is huge and being a wide body pin it is crammed with some great features and game play. Virtually all shooters and coils are adjustable using the control panel which is such a great tool using the game admin controls. This is a good game for the family and occasional player also and with a bit of time you can create a lot of ball control. My favorite wide body pin before this one was STTNG, but this one is as good as it gets for engineering and fun also.

Edit this rating was implemented before the CE version was available on Pinside :)

8.880/10

26 days ago

RAS

Rasavage

Pinside member

Tallahassee, FL

2y 41,650 265 6 22

Prior to picking up this pin, I was pretty skeptical. The Johnny Depp movies are a little worn out and while the reveal for the pin was strong, the bumps along the way with rolling out the pin took some wind out of the sails. But then I started playing the game at various shows and became increasing impressed with what JJP put together. And ultimately I found the limited licensing to be a blessing, as it gave the pin a more generic pirate feel. I love the shots on this pin, they are all "findable" but not necessarily easy; my only gripe is the far left "orbit" is not terribly satisfying. More than any other pin that I can think of, this game is loaded with toys and the rocking ship upper playfield/cannon may be the best toy in pinball. That being said, the star map and the lower lcd screen aren't terribly useful IMO. The light show is quite good as is the music, and having a real character from the movies do the callouts is also a definite plus. But the real star of the show is the code. This game just feels as deep as the ocean, which I think will translate into exceptional lastability.

Rasavage currently owns this game.

9.400/10

34 days ago

DAD

GranpaDave

Pinside member

Dayton, OH

<1y 26,150 2 1 6

Pros: Fabulous artwork, great layout and challenging. Typical high end JJP table- beautiful to watch. Deep rule set and numerous characters.

Cons: Wide body (feels big, because it is!). Friend who owns one complains of some reliability issues.
Price. All off these tables are now collector level because of high demand- not in production.

GranpaDave has this game on the wishlist.

7.754/10

34 days ago

JMW

JMWRainwater

Pinside member

Columbia, SC

1y 22,500 2 11 33

It feels like a JJP game through & through without offering enough new from WoZ or Hobbit to win me over.

JMWRainwater has this game on the wishlist.

5 Pinsiders flagged this rating/review.

9.539/10

48 days ago

???

ObiWan36

Pinside member

Pittsburgh, PA

1y 9,000 2 6 1

Great game! Love the upper play field, although the cannon shot is very difficult but rewarding! Theme is great.

10.000/10

49 days ago

???

FarFromHeaven26

Pinside member

Unknown

1y 36,050 250 6 25

A state-of-the-art pinball masterpiece that is likely to be named when the term "raise the bar" is employed. Strong rumors are circulating that the upcoming WILLY WONKA may eclipse it, meaning that Jersey Jack has ushered in a true Golden Age of Pinball. But whether WW edges ahead or not matters little. This machine is a keeper for those who can afford it, and for those saving up and until purchase taking advantage of a location where it is offered. I agree with those who have stated the art is very good but perhaps not among the top tier in that department. Still I refused to downgrade it on that count as it is still exquisite. But everything else rates among the highest in pinball: astonishingly deep and complex code; playfield ingenuity and toys; sound; music; LCD and off course the incomparable JERSEY JACK build quality. And seemingly a machine that will never grow tiring over the long haul. I am convinced the 9,500 LE is the way to go. Just an amazing machine that should help sustain the pinball renaissance, and until maybe WONKA the crown jewel from JJP or at least on par with the magnificent WOZ. (the two edits were for typos, not for the actual rating).

FarFromHeaven26 edited previous rating on April 22, 2019.

4 Pinsiders flagged this rating/review. 5 Pinsiders starred this rating !

9.272/10

54 days ago

???

Bradpinfan

Pinside member

Fort Wayne, IN

2y 27,150 19 17 1

Pros:
This game has one of the most unique layouts that I have ever seen. All of the shots on this game feel great to hit, and all are rewarding in some ways. With the different captains allowing for many different playstyles, it feels like everything in the game is allows for massive scores. I go with Blackbeard to try to maximize my multiballs. Art is goo, although not outstanding. Call outs are nice as well.

Cons:
The rules are great..... but walking up to it for the first will defenitley overwhelm you. This game doesn’t feel like a POTC game, it just feels like a generic pirate game, which is fine although is not what I signed up for. The modes are not good.

Overall:
This game is one of the best and the cons are just minor drops in a bucket. Play this game if you have the chance.

9.940/10

55 days ago

FAD

DrDQ

Pinside member

Easton, PA

2y 41,550 127 7 25

There is so much too like about this game; Toys, Layout, Shots, Sounds, Artwork, Theme Integration, Ruleset etc. It is a top machine in many of these aspects. This machine was clearly very well thought out and designed. Fantastic Theme Integration with very original layout, tons of shots with a very deep code that isn't too hard to grasp. Shaker and sound integration with the shots adds significantly to the feel and satisfaction. Amazing and enjoyable upper playfield. Some of the shots I love that are very satisfying ; The right ramp up the ship and through both spinners, left ramp through the whirlpool where they ball can hang there for a while, the metal clunk on a perfect shot to the Dauntless, the devil's triangle/spinner sound, the feel/flow and sound/lighting on the Fountain of Youth inner loop, the sound/feel of the Port Royal loop, especially when caught by the magnet for the ship VUK, the use of the left post for holding the ball for the Multiball loop jackpot in On Stranger Tides Multiball, The Maelstrom and Bayou shots during At Worlds End Multiball...the list goes on and on.

There isn't much to say around the negatives; current code may be slightly multiball scoring heavy and the modes could use some refining down the road - but this is being highly critical. Some issues tweaking from NIB that many have encountered but they are all minor. Occasional balls stuck in Ship VUK during multi ball, but might also be because mine is set up pretty steep. Added a washer under the subway to help.

DrDQ edited previous rating on April 01, 2019.
DrDQ currently owns this game.

6 Pinsiders starred this rating !

10.000/10

57 days ago

DEV

deveric

Pinside member

Lyon

4y 18,250 4 13

The best pinball for me !!!

8.204/10

61 days ago

RRP

PhantomO

Pinside member

Marlborough, MA

6y 48,300 343 5 27

The art package is so visually engrossing and details that it is like walking into the POTC ride at a Disney park - everything you see is part of the show. The flickering lanterns on the upper playfield are a case in point. No real need for them to be there, but you notice them and it adds to an immersive theme experience. This is a high-end, premium machine that you can get for the price of a decent used car. But if I could afford it and only had room for one machine, this would probably be it.

8.760/10

65 days ago

???

Jhislop3

Pinside member

Orlando, FL

<1y 18,150 2 8 8

Tons of fun and need to play this more often now that its in the pin collection. Its growing on me and is a pin that I don't think we will get bored with anytime soon.

Jhislop3 currently owns this game.

9.520/10

66 days ago

SSD

PinFan4Life

Pinside member

Tampa, FL

7y 53,900 533 10 41

This is my 4th JJP Machine (I’ve owned all 4 made to date). I personally think this is the best one yet and that’s saying a lot because I really enjoy my WOZ and DI LE. The shots and flow are smooth and satisfying. The rocking ship with cannon is an awesome playfield toy, one of the best I’ve seen ever. The game code is very well done and has deep rules. Sound is well done and variance in music and effects are great! I’d highly recommend this game to any of my fellow pinheads.

PinFan4Life currently owns this game.

9.789/10

73 days ago

???

locksmith

Pinside member

Rutledge, PA

5y 40,300 208 28

This game is the new Heavyweight champion of pinball.I believe it will reign for a long time.

9.620/10

78 days ago

???

Robhorror

Pinside member

Unknown

3y 30,000 14 47

WOW, i never think i can love a pinball at this point. Totally awsome. A little confusing and difficult to understand at first but Always fun. But when we begin to understand the rules(or some of the rules), the fun is multiplicate. One of my best pinball and i think is one of the best pinball ever made. All the shot are fun and a lot are special. A real beauty and a pure jewel, Nothing less.

Robhorror edited previous rating on April 05, 2019.
Robhorror currently owns this game.

2 Pinsiders starred this rating !

9.904/10

80 days ago

MCM

Coindropper

Pinside member

Cypress, TX

1y 31,300 48 4 6

Not a fan of the theme, but the depth of code, layout, and design are flawless. Plundering brings a whole new dynamic when playing with multiple people. I had no interest in the game until I played it. Literally had to have it and picked it up immediately! I’m almost 2 months in and loving this game more and more. Can’t wait to see what the next code update brings!

Coindropper edited previous rating on March 26, 2019.
Coindropper currently owns this game.

10.000/10

81 days ago

???

Nath1977

Pinside apprentice

Unknown

1y 10,750 33

The perfect machine, i realy can't remove a point. The sound is awsome and what a beauty. Very very deep but Always fun. The best choice and a keeper.

3 Pinsiders flagged this rating/review. 11 Pinsiders starred this rating !

10.000/10

81 days ago

???

touchtone

Pinside member

Seubersdorf

4y 20,650 6 4 42

As far as I can see, this is the perfect pinball machine. For tournament or operators the ball time might be too long.

4 Pinsiders flagged this rating/review. 7 Pinsiders starred this rating !

9.900/10

88 days ago

WOZ

PanzerFreak

Pinside member

10y 93,800 7,875 9

Stuck on a deserted island and can only choose one pinball machine? Well, JJP's POTC it is then!

Over the past year I've had the opportunity to play POTC on several occasions including prototype and production model games. I ultimately decided to purchase this game as it comes across as offering the most varying gameplay, shots and rules in all of pinball. Want to focus on playing through modes? Pirates has 125 chapter modes, 6 multiball modes, 5 wizard modes, a video mode, multiple hurry up modes and a super wizard mode. Want to focus on scoring strategies? Pirates is loaded with them. Pick from one of nearly two dozen characters each with a different ability and attempt to earn multiple jackpots in multiball modes for higher wizard mode scoring.

When I first saw Pirates I thought "this is WOZ 2.0" and i mean that as a compliment. The game looks incredibly loaded. Sure the price is high but the game is one of the most loaded pins in history, certainly one of the most loaded of the modern pinball era. The game is packed with toys and features from the mechanical moving ship, physical chest ball lock, the maelstrom ramp, a huge multi entrance subway, apron LCD, spinning pirate, and more.

The light shows produced by the RGB inserts and RGB GI are excellent and the animation work by JP is easily some of the best in pinball alongside those found in JJP's other pins. David Thiel did an incredible job with the games audio with a ton of unique audio tracks and sound effects that fit the theme. It's a bit of a bummer to not have actor audio clips from the films but the callouts from Pirates of the Caribbean actor Kevin McNally are superb and help bring the game alive...just wait until you hear the extra ball callout!

In regards to the shot layout Pirates offers not only a high number of shots but also multiple satisfying ones. In terms of shots that pass through an area or drop into a saucer / hole there's 16 of them, that's excluding stand up targets and the extra ball shot which if counted is 17. 16 unique shots that pass through or drop into an area is incredibly high, possibly the most in pinball when counted that way. By comparison Twilight Zone has 11 of the shots I described and Wizard of Oz 10. Many of the shots in Pirares are also satisfying and unique to hit including the inner loop, under the upper left flipper, map hole, and canon shot.

Overall Pirates is one of the best pinball machines ever made. There's so much to do, shoot for, ways to play, ways to save your ball physically (outlanes), etc. Is it the GOAT pin or greatest of all time? Only time will tell but with more code to come its certainly on it's way.

PanzerFreak edited previous rating on February 27, 2019.

12 Pinsiders starred this rating !

9.580/10

89 days ago

DEH

pingod

Pinside member

Calgary, AB

7y 89,650 2,585 3 13

This game is a blast to play, keeper for sure.

pingod currently owns this game.

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