Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (LE)

Jersey Jack

Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (LE)

Pinside Rating

This game received 295 approved Pinsider ratings and currently rates 8.529 /10

8.529

Top 100 ranking

This game ranks 1st in the game group "Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory". The group itself ranks #24 in the Pinside Pinball Top 100.



Score breakdown

Score breakdown in the 4 main categories:

Game Design: 8.602

Artwork: 8.635

Sounds/Music: 8.168

Other Aspects: 8.577


Pinside staff rating

This is how we, the very knowledgeable (wink wink) Pinside.com staff & moderators rate this game. 1 of us has rated this game.

9.3

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Found 131 ratings (with comment) on this game

There are 131 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
Currently showing results page 1 of 6.

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9.280/10
13 days ago
This machine was not even on my radar. A guy offered me a trade and I took a chance. Very fun love the Pat Lawlor design.
8.180/10
3 months ago
Love the layout on Wonka, playing the top portion of the playfield is very rewarding and quite a unique experience!
9.120/10
3 months ago
I've been playing WW LE for a month now and it epitomizes the a true Pat Lawlor design. Smooth buttery shots, seemless flow, great rules, lots of shots and good depth. The video/graphics are beautiful, build quality is great, the light show is well done and the playfield is very nicely done. The game play is straight forward and always keeps me saying "I have to play it again and I can do better the next game".

I wasn't quite sure how Jersey Jack/Pat Lawlor could integrate this movie into a pinball machine, they've done a great job. Whenever I finish playing it, I always leave with a smile on my face. It is light hearted and a lot of fun to play. ..whole day wasted.
8.100/10
3 months ago
Love the theme! Hope to own one someday.
6.461/10
4 months ago
A Jersey Jack pin that really feels like a more modern Stern, the flippers and speed of play is a lot different than the floaty feeling a lot of them typically have. I love the original Charlie and the Chocolate Factory film, but something about these visuals and icons feel too childish to me. And once you've had your photo taken once on the leaderboard, I kind of grow to hate the gimmick. This is a really fun pin that got a little too safe and boring on the use of the theme. The clips, sounds effects and music work but all the original stuff added just feels kind of terrible in my opinion. But again, really fun and I look forward to playing it more when I come across them.
9.460/10
5 months ago
I've owned this game for a little while now simply put its a blast. Its a really good Pat Lawlor design and next to my Twilight zone it compliments it perfectly. I love Pat Lawlor games and this one is amazing it flows amazing and sounds great this beautiful game really brings Gene Wilders Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory back to life.
7.303/10
5 months ago
First off, this theme does nothing for me at all. That said, it's a pretty fun game.

I have probably put 20-25 games on Wonka and it shoots well with great flow. Rules are pretty straight forward. Cabinet and playfield are beautiful, so many toys and mechs. Music and call outs kind of kill my enthusiasm for the machine though, they are ok but don't excite me. Great game to play on location but not one for the basement.
5.541/10
7 months ago
Not the worst JJP game, but definitely the most disappointing for myself as a fan of the original Gene Wilder film. Game just suffers from all the normal jack problems like bloated code, bad lisa frank lightshows, excessive ball times, too many multiballs, and spongy flippers.

Worst of all it just looks and sounds like a slot machine. Layout is okay, but not special. Such a missed opportunity.
7.600/10
8 months ago
Good game and lastability JJP pinballs are fun
8.660/10
10 months ago
Great machine with a highly integrated theme. Not sure why the videos dont have then matching sound. Maybe a licencing thing. Shame Candyman song isnt included. Fully decked out with vuks, pops, magnets, ball save etc etc. Complex rules that might be bit off putting for some.
7.497/10
11 months ago
Played this recently at a show and couldn’t help think what could have been with such a great license. The mechs / toys are a miss given how special that could have been. It shoots well and the quality of a Jersey Jack cannot be denied. But well short of the potential.
8.696/10
11 months ago
Fun game with decent shots. There's a lot going on in this one and I haven't figured it all out but definitely a solid game.
8.432/10
12 months ago
I have owned this game for a year and a half- It never gets old for me- Feels and shoots like a classic lawlor- I do love the theme having grown up watching this movie a lot. This is an approachable game for novices and children to shoot without knowing and caring about the rules- Having owned the game for a while, I am deep into the rules and trying to get the 5th golden ticket. Its not a quick game for me, so when I do fire this game up I am usually playing multiple games and on it for over an hour. Layout and feel are great to me- the ruleset is super deep and a little complex. Overall this is a very fun game for me and the family and will more than likely remain in my collection for a very long time- Awesome light shows- this game really goes into overdrive when you start to blow it up. Mini wizard modes are great- oompa loompa and wonkas office are a blast-
9.700/10
1 year ago
I've been owning this gem of a game for 2 months now. A pinball should be fun and exciting even when you don't know the ruleset, Willy Wonka is just like that. Genius geometry and shots design, smooth as butter, super combos, the best game that Pat Lawlor ever created IMHO. When you learn the extremely deep/fun/well integrated/almost impossible to beat ruleset, now we're somewhere else. Built quality is thru the roof, this is not a mere toy, this is a serious piece of amusement equipment and the theme is perfectly integrated.

I found the lower flippers to be a little too soft for my taste so I changed (+6) their strength. With the default settings, ramps were pretty hard to make. Now it's all good. There is a couple spots were airballs got caught up (beside the Wonkavator elevator, behind the Oompa Loompa) so I needed to add some plastic posts at these critical spots to solve the problem. Otherwise the game (late 2021 built) have been very reliable with no issue at all.

Since this is a 4 flippers design, be prepared for a lot of action. Every shots is satisfying. You always have something to shoot for no matter where the ball is.

The orchestral musical score is perfect and beautiful and fits the theme to perfection (it's the soundtrack from the movie). The sounds effects are extremely well made and not tiring by any means. This is a game about dream, wonder, youth, excitement and fantasy ... the sounds effects reflects that extremely well. There is not a single moment that this game is not exciting, you have to think when "to blink" because it might be too late when you do :). This might be a family theme, but the game can be really brutal. You'll have to bring your A game.

Lighting effects (flash and inserts) are magnificent but the GI is lackluster. You "can't" play this game in a dark environnement. Ambient lights needs to be on. I installed some Pinstadium's Neo Atom Fusion on it and ..... OMFG !!! Game changer !! ... it's literally a "new" game now, colors are vibrant, we see everything, and the flashers effects of the Pinstadium's Neo Atom Fusion are a sight to behold and puts Willy Wonka on a whole new level.

You can have cheap drains from the pops, that's been said over and over and that's 100% true. I prefer the "free pops" design that bring speed, danger and excitement to a boring "trapped pops" design like Medieval Madness or Theater of Magic (I own both) where the ball is hit by the pops but always comes out of the zone slowly without any challenge at all. Pops have to be "free" to bring excitement to a game, not trapped. There are some mods out there that cure the problem of cheap drain if it's something you prefer. To each is own.

It takes some time to get use to the upper right flipper as some shorter people might have a harder time seeing it but once you're used to it, that's not a problem at all. Slingshots are on the "soft" side even at their highest settings but some may find it a "blessing" as the game is so brutal anyway.

There is 6 magnets on the playfield that affects the direction on the ball in certain modes. They're arranged in 2 clusters of 3 magnets. On this game, even the "empty space" can add speed and unpredictability/excitement. It's not overdone but when it's in action, better stay focused as the ball can go in any directions at the most unexpected moment.

Sound quality is pretty good out of the box but not great, the high/midrange seems a little "muffled" ... this is not a "bass heavy" soundtrack pinball but you can really hear/feel some bass there if you install the Pinwoofer JJP super kit, which I did. Now, the dynamic is way better and everything is much clearer.

I've been collecting pinballs since 1993, this is the best one I've ever owned and the more fun I've ever had. It's not bolted to the floor, it's welded.

Update March 22 2024 : Just changed the original I/O board for the newest version. What a game changer !! Everything coils/magnets related is 15-25% snappier/stronger which makes for an even faster and more exciting game. Game never gets "tired" even after long play session. At only 400$ at Pinballife, this is a no brainer for those like me who consider Wonka a keeper.
9.460/10
1 year ago
Excellent theme works done and excellent lighting in RGB
8.888/10
1 year ago
Wonka is an excellent game all around. I am not personally connected with theme, but I feel that it is extremely well integrated and fun for all ages. It shoots great and has good rules. The callouts are not great, in fact I feel they are the worst aspect of this game. The CE has much better callouts overall with the addition of Veruca Salt.
9.420/10
1 year ago
I’ve played many pinball machines and once you’ve played enough you will begin to understand and appreciate how good this game is. For me, the theme is awesome and was a childhood favorite movie.

The layout and geometry of shots is what makes it so much fun.
Having 4 flippers allows the player (and Pat) to use the whole playfield and make the for unique combinations.
I enjoy the animations and how the movie is so neatly tied into the gameplay; the kids, golden tickets, ommpas, wonka bars……..the list just keeps going.
The light show is awesome and how the coded the office and the boat ride add to the nostalgia.

If you like Pat Lawler games you will find this to be one of his best, if not the BEST.
9.041/10
1 year ago
This is a beautifully presented game and very good quality. Gameplay is smooth and flowing but I find the deep rule set quite difficult to understand. I enjoy it, but when I have a really good high scoring game, I’m not really sure what I did to deserve it. Candyman song is notable in its absence. Display has a little too much going on and like the gameplay; can be a tad confusing. One day…many years from now, I will reach ‘pure imagination’.
9.620/10
1 year ago
I've played this machine many times and it is certainly on my list of games I would love to own. The complexity of the rules and difficulty of the shots make you want to come back for more. The Lastability is probably the most important factor for owning a game. The theme is of course, perfect for a pinball machine. It is somehow sinister, wacky and horrifying, like Funhouse.
9.540/10
1 year ago
Excellent, deep game that will keep you coming back for more punishment. The only negative I have is the pops. So many shots lead into the pops - some of them should return to the flippers instead.
9.680/10
1 year ago
Love this game. Top 2 for me due to theme, layout, mechs & quality. Checks all the boxes for me to have in the collection for a long, long time.
9.024/10
1 year ago
This is a game that sounds way different in real life. I think it is terrific. But, the sounds in the on-line play do make it sound like a combination of slot machine mixed with a mess of noises. Not true! It does not get old...not even close. The layout produces such smooth shots; no clanks. This game is a good a good complement to a longer shooting game like Jurassic Park.
8.960/10
1 year ago
Played this game in Ky at Comics to Games and was blown away. Pat Lawler has made a lot of good games , but that alone doesn’t guarantee a great game . So what does ?
Quality: this game plays like an old B/W with a sturdy cabinet and solid ramps and mechs. I love my Deadpool Pro… but it is a toy next to this game. Sure the big Screen and amazing lights are a nice touch. But EVERYTHING about this game says …. Top Shelf Liquor.
Theme and Game Play: A flawless integration of a 1972 movie . The Gobstopper Saucer, Glass Elevaor , movie based modes and call outs are perfect. Gene Wilder’s comments were made for pinball. When half the playfield goes into 1/2 mode like his office in the movie ….
Fun: Ok, nostalgia aside the game is fun. Four flippers and multiple habitrails all add to great gameplay . My daughter said it’s like Theatre of Magic and Funhouse had a baby. Bingo!
7 ball multiball ? Somehow it works.I believe this game will have a lastability that some Stern tables cannot and will not achieve. HOMERUN GAME .
8.384/10
1 year ago
Great theming, shots are fair and there’s plenty of variety. JJP quality is phenomenal, I love the look of this thing and the sound quality is great as well. A well balanced machine that’s loads of fun to play.
8.844/10
1 year ago
stunning and fun
There are 131 ratings (that include a comment) on this game. Currently showing results page 1 of 6.

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