Pinside rating

This game received 129 approved Pinsider ratings and currently rates 8.520 _/10

8.52

Top 100 ranking

This game ranks 3rd in the game group "Pirates of the Caribbean (JJP)". The group itself ranks #5 in the Pinside Pinball Top 100.

Score breakdown

Score breakdown in the 4 main categories:

Game design: 8.503

Artwork: 8.517

Sounds/Music: 8.193

Other Aspects: 8.431

Pinside staff rating

This is how we, the very knowledgeable (wink wink) Pinside.com staff & moderators rate this game. 2 of us have rated this game.

7.985

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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".
The other versions are: Pirates of the Caribbean (LE), 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 48 ratings (with comment) on this game

There are 48 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
Currently showing results page 1 of 2.

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9.900/10

37 days ago

SYD

Onwallst

Pinside member

Denver, CO

5y 81,050 560 91 1

Wasn’t impressed at first but there are only 150 of them and when final code is here will be good.

Update:
The more I play the more I keep wanting to play more. Every character has it own strength, weakness or advantage. You can plunder and take the points from other players in the game. Great code once it was completed. I will there was still more movie clips. Seems Disney was restrictive. The rule set a d game play are top notch.

Onwallst edited previous rating on February 07, 2021.

8.000/10

3 months ago

MAT

mpdpvdpin

Pinside member

Providence, RI

3y 53,550 626 3 48

It’s ummm...a lot. It’s a big flashy crazy pinball experience. Do I love it though? Not really. Is it one of the wildest most involved pins design wise? Yup. Does it lack charm? Maybe. Do I think it’s a bit overrated? Kinda. I’ll give credit where it’s due, but...I don’t want it, you know? I’m not gonna buy one.

7.499/10

4 months ago

GER

Hitlow

Pinside member

Long Beach, CA

2y 25,900 9 37 11

Not a big fan of this game. I want to like it, I really do. Maybe if it we in my shop or in my home I would enjoy it more, but I did go and gave it an hour and a half of my time and I just don’t get it. If you love the theme maybe or if you have it at home. I wanted to love this game and I like was JJP is doing. I wish them all the success.

9.484/10

4 months ago

BMS

Betelgeuse

Pinside member

Pittsburgh, PA

10y 90,700 2,621 17 66

This game is, without a doubt, up there with the greatest pins of all time. It will likely appeal most to collectors that enjoy unique mechanical gadgets that interact with the ball, as this is easily the most loaded and complex pinball machine built to date. Every inch of the massive playfield is also utilized to the fullest with more shots than any game before it. With a steep pitch, this game still plays surprisingly fast and flowy for a widebody, even if not quite as fast as many modern Sterns. This game really feels like a new and improved version of TZ, where many games will be short and brutal until you get that one runaway ball where everything starts stacking together.
The code in this game can be a double edged sword, though. The ruleset is LotR like in it's depth, to the point where it can be daunting at first to figure out what to do. There are so many different strategies and approaches to advancing in the game, but it comes with some balancing issues. Average players will struggle to get to one of the game's 5 mini-wizard modes, which are some of the best moments in the game, while experienced tournament players may find qualifying and stacking the 6 multiball modes a little too easy. The 'chapters' and multiballs are numerous, but do have a sort of same-ness to them until you advance further in the game. Fortunately, the game has an absolutely killer musical score with many unique tracks and sounds to help set these modes apart somewhat, provided you can hear the game where you are playing.
Overall, this game provides an incredible experience unlike any other pin, especially in a home setting with the volume up and the lights down. I would highly recommend owning this game, or at least giving it some serious playtime... and I didn't even like the movies! It's become one of my new all-time favorites and we may never see another machine this complex again. A little spit and shine on the code could easily put this in my #1 spot.

Betelgeuse currently owns this game.

10.000/10

5 months ago

PAT

Figgins

Pinside member

Ottawa, ON

2y 25,000 3 22 32

GOAT

Figgins has owned this game in the past.

2 Pinsiders flagged this rating/review.

7.888/10

5 months ago

ECW

Ecw0930

Pinside member

Fredericksburg, VA

1y 40,900 142 1 75

Huge game. A lot of game. Tons of game. Too much game? Layout seems fine. The upper flipper is either pretty useless or this one was just too weak. Soooo much going on it's so confusing for someone just wanting to play. But damn it's a great looking and themed game. I'm sure if you dive into it it's really be great. But in a public lineup and not knowing it's certainly overwhelming. To the point that you just don't want to keep coming back. It's definitely a good game, but just not for the passerby that wants to try it.

7.961/10

10 months ago

CHW

Graal33

Pinside member

<1y 14,750 6

I would like to start by saying that I really like the pinball machines from JJP. I have three pinballs myself (WOZ, Hobbit and Pirates) and I am really grateful that JJP has breathed new life into the pinball machine industry.

Pirates by JJP is a good pinball machine, don't get me wrong. I just think it is overrated by many. Of my three JJP pinball machines, Pirates is clearly in last place. I will now try to explain why...

First I will start with the playfield. The Playfield layout is excellent. Many different shots, both easy and difficult. I really have nothing to complain about that. But I don't like the colors of the playfield or the airbrushed persons. I really don't find the pinball machine visually appealing... (maybe it's just me)

Now on to the gameplay for me one of the most important factors of a pinball machine:

The gameplay is ok. I like the different multiballs and I think for those who are fans of multiballs this pinball is great. I also like the fact that you can play the different multiballs together. I find the missions on the other side really boring. Collect all characters... it is always the same thing. Sometimes you have to collect three, then four or seven characters but the principle is always the same (for every movie)... (In Hobbit, for example, the missions are really intelligently done) The wizard modes for the individual movies are really great though!

The pinball machine offers a lot of toys, like the ship and the cannon which I really like! The map in the middle of the playfield is rather annoying... But that you can steal treasures, balls and points from other players is great.

The last thing I think is a pity that the music is not coming from the movies. The music is really good and varied but it would be nice if the original soundtrack would have benn used.

All in all a solid pinball machine but for me unfortunately nothing more...

7.885/10

10 months ago

LRP

lpeters82

Pinside member

9y 102K 4,022 5 94

There is a lot to like about the game. It is jam packed with features including amazing 3d sculpts, rocking ship playfield, treasure trunk ball lock, whirlpool ramp, interesting outlane setup, and a display that is top notch. With that said, it feels and sounds a lot like a modern slot machine where the game is designed to make you feel like you’re winning with every pull; even though you’re spending 100 credits to win 80 credits. As a location player I have a hard time understanding what shots are the most important when every insert is seemingly flashing and changing colors all the time. It’s just too much for my taste. I’m not drawn to hit the start button over and over. Perhaps it’s better in a home setting where you can really study the rules.

7.312/10

11 months ago

MED

tataye

Pinside apprentice

Clessy

4y 16,500 13 16

l'abandon des disques central,du coffre. on jeu mal né qui penne a convaincre .le plateau basculant n'aporte pas grans chose a l'experience de jeu .bof quoi

5.632/10

1 year ago

ZAC

zacaj

Pinside member

Rochester, NY

8y 139K 8,963 53 60 4

Layout is cool but a bit clunky. Could use another pass. Code is very repetitive and random, nothing but stacking. Theme work is somehow worse than the Stern. PotC just doesn't work if you don't have the characters and clips from the movie, sorry.

8 Pinsiders flagged this rating/review.

8.500/10

1 year ago

BAM

balt

Pinside member

3y 106K 370 42

Fun to flip, beautiful playfield, tons to do. A great freshman effort by Eric Meunier. This pin earns my quarters every time I see one.

8.562/10

1 year ago

AJF

PinballTilt

Pinside member

Greensboro, NC

7y 69,550 945 5 9

I love Pirates. I played this at a show a bunch of times and thought I hated it. Then I had an amazing game where it all clicked, the multiballs all started and I knew I had to have one. I love the way you work toward the wizard modes on this game, I love that you can choose a character with perks, I love the black pearl and it's cannon, I haven't played much with friends but plundering would be very fun with a group of friends. The biggest negative for me is the lack of assets. I would have liked to have the pirates theme music, callouts from more than 1 character, and clips with characters instead of just scenery.

PinballTilt has owned this game in the past.

8.980/10

1 year ago

JDC

JosiahCox

Pinside member

7y 56,550 694 19

This game is the most fun out of all of the games I have owned. Yes it has some issues but I would buy it again in a heartbeat. Pure - Pinball - Fun!

9.640/10

1 year ago

TKM

Daditude

Pinside Moderator

Rockwall, TX

2y 242K 6,464 11 260

This is one pin I would suggest getting the LE on. It is great regardless. Get it while you can. It is an instant classic.

8.460/10

1 year ago

CEC

JustEverett

Wichita Pinball (WPC)

Wichita, KS

3y 105K 912 8 59 1

Loved the JJP Pirates from first flip. The rules are so complex with all the characters that I feel like I could play the game for years and not get bored with it. The upper playfield is probably my favorite of all time! Really unique playfield layout (no Stern copy paste fan layout here). I really don't like the theme, but it definitely wouldn't stop me from owning the game because it's so fun to play.

7.431/10

1 year ago

REW

woody76

Pinball Marketing

Nashville, TN

5y 133K 5,018 10 95

fun game with some cool toys. not sure I could ever get $9000 worth of enjoyment out of it, but will flip it around at friends house from time to time.

9.900/10

1 year ago

DAD

statsdoc

Pinside member

11y 73,800 923 2 7

Perhaps I am still in the honeymoon stage, but this machine really hits all the right buttons. I had a few minor issues to deal with coming out of the box, but it keeps calling me back. Re-playability is one of its greatest strengths; there is just so much to do and so many approaches. The plundering component also makes it more fun to play with others, which is a real plus in a competitive family. You can't take the high scores too seriously if you got there by taking other's points, balls, etc.

I completely understand those that say it is never leaving their collection. Although I only have an SE, I would only let this one leave if an LE was taking its place. I only hope that this is not the pinnacle of pinball and that I eat my words later when an even better pin comes out.

statsdoc currently owns this game.

9.700/10

1 year ago

BZK

Blackzarak

Pinside member

Lakewood, CA

2y 50,550 255 12 16 1

Just purchase this bad boy and enjoying every minute of it beautiful machine, colors and mechanics.
I originally played it on route was fun but it’s much more enjoyable on a home Environment. Miss the boat on the LE but don’t be Fooled the standard is just a good or better. It plays the same still has the beautiful lighting and all the good stuff you only loose the following star map not useful, invisible glass no biggi, shaker motor no biggi, toys spinning Tom and Devil’s Triangle, other than that you won’t notice a thing oh yeah topper sucks not missing much. Great code, slick Playfield etc, awsome game play.

Blackzarak currently owns this game.

9.180/10

1 year ago

JMI

Buellxb12r

Pinside member

Hagerstown, MD

2y 35,300 136 5 15 1

Had the opportunity to play this a lot when I was on travel for work in Georgia. From the very first game I was hooked. The design, the different rule sets for all the different characters, it all meshed very well.

I immediately added this to my wish list and hope to have it in my home very soon.

9.624/10

1 year ago

BW

KingBW

Pinside member

5y 104K 2,757 84

This is one of the best pinball machines we have played. We followed this one from the reveal, to playing prototypes, to playing the first production LE pin on the line at JJP (the first non-employees to play the production model), to playing a SE in a league and on locations, 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. The SE doesn't have that, but it still looks good. The SE also doesn't have the rotating poppers and the mountain structures. It still has the same game play as the LE and CE though at a cheaper price.

Give this game at least 20 tries.

7.321/10

1 year ago

NAT

Medieval_Gofers

Pinside member

Ipswich

9y 65,900 208 3 65

I feel I need to spend more time with this game, because I walked away afterwards feeling like it was a decent player but nothing extraordinary, but everyone seems to be raving about it being a top 10 game! The toys were sweet and this table is jam-packed as most JJP games are. Artwork is stunning and it's well-built.

My issues with the game are the same as my issues for all JJP games (aside from the awesome Dialed In). Not enough flow to be found from such a massive widebody game...ball spends alot of time falling in places and dribbling round things and I just can't get into it. Over-complicated ruleset with so many characters, only 4 of which we care about, made even more complicated by the huge LCD telling you everything at once. Sometimes I want to know how to get multiball without doing weeks of research! And lastly the scoring system leaves a bad taste in the mouth...finish a good game but walk away with less then a million points? No thanks. It's better than the Hobbit and Wizard of Oz, but I still find these huge JJP games more of an oddity than a serious machine I could own.

7.788/10

1 year ago

PPD

Boat

Pinside member

Calgary, AB

4y 89,050 1,046 5 89

Seemed to play pretty good, wasn't blown away by the shots or playfield design. The music, art, and animations are great. The ship is a cool toy/feature.

8.115/10

1 year ago

RAP

RyanStl

Pinside member

St. Louis, MO

6y 78,050 1,693 1 93

I enjoyed the game, but top right mini-playfield got real old, real quick. This a visual stunning game like all JJP games. I don't know though.

9.600/10

1 year ago

DDK

davkonw

Pinside member

Springville, NY

5y 39,900 18 6 25

What more do you want Don't over think this it's pinball , It's fun , it's has a great Theme, Great Art, Sound is crisp and clear, Play's very fast for wide body pin , Toy's yeah it would be nice to have the disk's spinning and trunk open but in the end this game is loaded. For a new era of Pin's that are mostly stripped down bare boned machines, this game has it. Deep code that is a little hard to grasp at first but with time you can grab it. I would have to say It is one of the best machines made . With a new fresh design not some revamped 25 year old design (not that they are bad) . Lack's some of the movie clips but still has enough in to keep the theme. The big problem is the cost but other pin's are on the rise so it's not that bad.

davkonw currently owns this game.

8.779/10

1 year ago

BEN

bmlors

Pinside member

Norwalk, IA

3y 26,400 23 3 8

The mini game is very fun for casual play — it gives something to go after beyond just the basics of most game.

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