Omg this jaws and others I may need to sneak out of work for a few hrs, only hr on the train 
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London EAG
- Thread starter Calimori
- Start date
Omg this jaws and others I may need to sneak out of work for a few hrs, only hr on the train
Yep but only till 4
Might be worth a heads up that google are expecting 9500 delegates over the next four days up at excel , so if driving the car parks are gonna be chocka. The EAG is at the other end but might be an idea to pre book parking especially if coming Tuesday as thats registration and it’s gonna be busy as hell.
How's Labyrinth playing ?
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I have used justpark in the past when visiting excel. Plenty of private driveways available around Ethel Road which is just a couple of minutes walk from west entrance of excel. No queues to get out of car park either. Typically £15 a day.
No idea I’m not there but meant to be good just spoke we someone
Dave is at stand C62
Labyrinth playing very well liked it a lot, galactic tank force good with some clever stuff going on , Elton John absolutely top drawer, Jaws pro and premium very good a lot better than I thought prior to playing them . Spinal tap wtf !
I’ve just got back from London EAG. Had a great morning - lovely to share a game with @Gary Flower again, nice to see @Mike Parkins and @Chris P, and to meet @Kelsbells and @David retro for the first time 
I played all the new pinball machines I hadn‘t reviewed yet - Jaws Pro/Prem, Elton John, Galactic Tank Force and Labyrinth. I didn’t play Spinal Tap as I’d already experienced it at Pinfest. Godfather was set up, but not available to play.
Here’s a time where my habit of writing long posts is going to hopefully come in handy. I played everything a couple of times (more for Jaws) to get an impression without blocking access to the machines. I took notes and loads of photos/videos (with permission) with the aim of writing some first-impression reviews
So, buckle up… opinions incoming!
Labyrinth
Barrels of Fun (terrible name) have knocked it out of the park with Labyrinth. It looks absolutely stunning in real life. The production quality is superb.
It has (Stern) premium/LE features all over, including some seriously chonky scenery, lighted speakers and amazing sound quality (hear video).
View attachment trim.08526316-C58A-41F1-A34E-3841E2DD7D47.MOV
The powder coating is also gorgeous.
The side art also looked really high quality.
Even the attract mode is eye-catching and beautiful.
View attachment trim.324678BE-33D5-4696-A664-387FB9D4AAB1.MOV
@David retro went into raptures about the unboxing experience, which includes individually-wrapped legs, tools for setting the pin up, and even spare slingshot plastics.
The optional mirrored backglass is also really nice (sadly, a topper or plunger wasn’t available, but I’m going to assume they are as good).
Now we’ve got that out of the way, how does it play? Well, very smoothly. Really good flow between shots and nothing weird or awkward. Some really nice details that communicate the theme, e.g. the multiple hidden diverters mimicking the changing patterns of the labyrinth, and the way that the ball - on my first plunge - entered the playfield in one location and left in another (just like a maze! A-mazing!). During Brick Keeper Multiball, a ball was thrown out from under the left ramp, to the wild cackling of a goblin.
The layout feels both fresh and unfamiliar. The top scoop with the drop target reminds me, oddly, of the alien mothership in Foo Fighters, but if it was more solidly engineered (not two sticky-up pins!) and started modes instead of a multiball. I started several modes and a multiball (Brick Keeper Multiball), and smiled a lot while I played. It was seriously fun.
The team on this pin simply hasn’t put a foot wrong, but… and here’s a BUT…
I’d say I’m an intermediate pinball player. My high scores are about the 85-90% percentile on Stern Insider Connected on our home machines, but I come routinely last in PBR league. I felt I could get quite a way into this machine without dialling in any shots - a couple of modes, a multiball and so on. It was really forgiving. It made my meagre skills feel like Keith Elwin (or maybe Bowen Kerins) playing this game, or maybe just the deaf, dumb, blind kid in the famous song.
So… I suspect serious tournament players are going to find this tediously super easy. It is the Cactus Canyon of the modern era. It Is totally charming, has silly stuff that pops up and cackles at you, is seriously super fun, will make you smile… and can never be in a tournament because the other players would be drawing their pensions before the end of ball one.
However, if you’re buying a pin for friends, family and casual players, especially families with kids in (because this is super kid-friendly), then I would urge you to BUY BUY BUY like a maniac. Because this pin has been lovingly designed for YOU.
I played all the new pinball machines I hadn‘t reviewed yet - Jaws Pro/Prem, Elton John, Galactic Tank Force and Labyrinth. I didn’t play Spinal Tap as I’d already experienced it at Pinfest. Godfather was set up, but not available to play.
Here’s a time where my habit of writing long posts is going to hopefully come in handy. I played everything a couple of times (more for Jaws) to get an impression without blocking access to the machines. I took notes and loads of photos/videos (with permission) with the aim of writing some first-impression reviews
So, buckle up… opinions incoming!
Labyrinth
Barrels of Fun (terrible name) have knocked it out of the park with Labyrinth. It looks absolutely stunning in real life. The production quality is superb.
It has (Stern) premium/LE features all over, including some seriously chonky scenery, lighted speakers and amazing sound quality (hear video).
View attachment trim.08526316-C58A-41F1-A34E-3841E2DD7D47.MOV
The powder coating is also gorgeous.
The side art also looked really high quality.
Even the attract mode is eye-catching and beautiful.
View attachment trim.324678BE-33D5-4696-A664-387FB9D4AAB1.MOV
@David retro went into raptures about the unboxing experience, which includes individually-wrapped legs, tools for setting the pin up, and even spare slingshot plastics.
The optional mirrored backglass is also really nice (sadly, a topper or plunger wasn’t available, but I’m going to assume they are as good).
Now we’ve got that out of the way, how does it play? Well, very smoothly. Really good flow between shots and nothing weird or awkward. Some really nice details that communicate the theme, e.g. the multiple hidden diverters mimicking the changing patterns of the labyrinth, and the way that the ball - on my first plunge - entered the playfield in one location and left in another (just like a maze! A-mazing!). During Brick Keeper Multiball, a ball was thrown out from under the left ramp, to the wild cackling of a goblin.
The layout feels both fresh and unfamiliar. The top scoop with the drop target reminds me, oddly, of the alien mothership in Foo Fighters, but if it was more solidly engineered (not two sticky-up pins!) and started modes instead of a multiball. I started several modes and a multiball (Brick Keeper Multiball), and smiled a lot while I played. It was seriously fun.
The team on this pin simply hasn’t put a foot wrong, but… and here’s a BUT…
I’d say I’m an intermediate pinball player. My high scores are about the 85-90% percentile on Stern Insider Connected on our home machines, but I come routinely last in PBR league. I felt I could get quite a way into this machine without dialling in any shots - a couple of modes, a multiball and so on. It was really forgiving. It made my meagre skills feel like Keith Elwin (or maybe Bowen Kerins) playing this game, or maybe just the deaf, dumb, blind kid in the famous song.
So… I suspect serious tournament players are going to find this tediously super easy. It is the Cactus Canyon of the modern era. It Is totally charming, has silly stuff that pops up and cackles at you, is seriously super fun, will make you smile… and can never be in a tournament because the other players would be drawing their pensions before the end of ball one.
However, if you’re buying a pin for friends, family and casual players, especially families with kids in (because this is super kid-friendly), then I would urge you to BUY BUY BUY like a maniac. Because this pin has been lovingly designed for YOU.
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Thank you @VeeMonroe fairplay 
great stuff
great stuff
Absolutely awesome impressions and review on Labyrinth by @VeeMonroe , look forward to more of this on the other pins.
It should be good - it's a premium priced product at £11.5k.
With that out of the way, let us move to Galactic Tank Force.
I’ll admit to coming in with REALLY low expectations of this one. I love the theme, concept and idea, but I’d read about the shoddy 3D printed plastics. Also, I disliked both of American Pinball’s titles (Houdini and Oktoberfest) I‘ve played in the past.
I’ve got to admit to being pleasantly surprised by Galactic Tank Force. It’s the best of the American Pinball titles I’ve played so far (sadly, I’ve not had the chance to play Hot Wheels). The machine looks good with great lighting, an attractive backglass, cabinet and solid retro-feel artwork on the playfield.
View attachment trim.6F066001-ECD7-44D4-A0EF-EA4B9C082194.MOV
View attachment trim.BFAD0461-BD25-4193-A1AD-074A3FC6D77F.MOV
I didn’t notice the models looking horrible on my play, and I quite liked the illuminated plunger that looked slightly like a gun turret.
The dubstep doesn’t seem out of place as a sound track either.
View attachment trim.4AFB6892-06DB-4EC9-BF8E-1AA0B739BD07.MOV
Play-wise, it’s not quite right, but in a subtle way. It has the feel of a pin where, if it was released in a year without X-thousand other new pins, it would have been a contender. Sadly, it was, and it isn’t.
I played it straight after Labyrinth and the problems, in comparison, were obvious (to me, anyway). First, the tank is - as others have said - not a sane shot to make. It is really close to the flippers. I tried pressing the extra button on the right-hand side of the cab to see if I could activate the defence save bumper (Atomic Shield) between the flippers, but that only seems to activate in response to something else (it popped up at one point - after I’d destroyed a tank?).
As such, if you want to shoot the tank deliberately, you need to rely on nudging out of the EM-style rubbers/lanes between the flippers to save your ball. Clue, they don’t work so well.
Second, shooting the tank wouldn’t be a problem if there was something else obvious to shoot for. After all, everyone who plays AFM knows that the saucer is a risky shot and, if you’re an accurate shooter, it’s easier to safely build up a score via the ramps and orbits. The problem is, as explained on the rules card, the missions are activated at the right-hand saucer by rolling through the inlanes. Thus, you need to be shooting for something else before the ball can roll down the inlanes… So, what do you shoot for straight off the plunge? 
The tank, presumably, while the ball save is on. And then, well, everything that isn’t the tank in a game called ‘Galactic Tank Force’.
Third, the team who programmed this evidently *loved* the video clips. Because they are constantly interrupting the gameplay and they go on for about three seconds longer than you wanted to hear them. Yes, it’s fun hearing Plotnik or Captain Kyan for the first time, but do you really want a long spiel greeting a new cadet or explaining Empress Annoya’s evil scheme each time you start the game or start a feature? I’ll stand corrected if these are skippable, but - if not - I found they interrupted play.
Fourth, after playing Labyrinth, which had very informative inserts for new players, the lack of information communicated by the inserts on GTF was subtly noticeable. It wasn‘t as bad as JJP’s Guns and Roses, but I had to read the rules card - the game just didn’t help me out as a new player.
Fifth, the playfield layout feels remarkably standard. It’s not really innovating. Not a problem, but it needs to be doing something else exceptionally well. The pops were also very tepid. So, the best shot in the game was probably an orbit into the inlanes…
Sixth, the rules just feel slightly subtly ‘off’. The lower playfield is murderous - you just don’t want to be there. The tank creates SDTMs and the slingshots are really vigorous. So, you’d expect the rules to give you lots of points for staying in the lower playfield, right? But, I seemed to get a lot more points shooting the super-repeatable left ramp during a Plotnik mode than going for the tank. So, why go for the tank? Worse still, central bash toys are usually designed for newbie players. A new player flails around, hits the bash toy a few times and - hey presto - something fun happens! With GTF, if you shoot the bash toy, you insta-drain. Not fun
Anyway, in conclusion, a bit of a weird one. Not sure who the audience is, TBH. It’s not playfield/shot/layout fans. It doesn’t have a compelling theme. And the gameplay isn’t targeted at a particular group of players (e.g. families), either.
I’ll admit to coming in with REALLY low expectations of this one. I love the theme, concept and idea, but I’d read about the shoddy 3D printed plastics. Also, I disliked both of American Pinball’s titles (Houdini and Oktoberfest) I‘ve played in the past.
I’ve got to admit to being pleasantly surprised by Galactic Tank Force. It’s the best of the American Pinball titles I’ve played so far (sadly, I’ve not had the chance to play Hot Wheels). The machine looks good with great lighting, an attractive backglass, cabinet and solid retro-feel artwork on the playfield.
View attachment trim.6F066001-ECD7-44D4-A0EF-EA4B9C082194.MOV
View attachment trim.BFAD0461-BD25-4193-A1AD-074A3FC6D77F.MOV
I didn’t notice the models looking horrible on my play, and I quite liked the illuminated plunger that looked slightly like a gun turret.
The dubstep doesn’t seem out of place as a sound track either.
View attachment trim.4AFB6892-06DB-4EC9-BF8E-1AA0B739BD07.MOV
Play-wise, it’s not quite right, but in a subtle way. It has the feel of a pin where, if it was released in a year without X-thousand other new pins, it would have been a contender. Sadly, it was, and it isn’t.
I played it straight after Labyrinth and the problems, in comparison, were obvious (to me, anyway). First, the tank is - as others have said - not a sane shot to make. It is really close to the flippers. I tried pressing the extra button on the right-hand side of the cab to see if I could activate the defence save bumper (Atomic Shield) between the flippers, but that only seems to activate in response to something else (it popped up at one point - after I’d destroyed a tank?).
As such, if you want to shoot the tank deliberately, you need to rely on nudging out of the EM-style rubbers/lanes between the flippers to save your ball. Clue, they don’t work so well.
Second, shooting the tank wouldn’t be a problem if there was something else obvious to shoot for. After all, everyone who plays AFM knows that the saucer is a risky shot and, if you’re an accurate shooter, it’s easier to safely build up a score via the ramps and orbits. The problem is, as explained on the rules card, the missions are activated at the right-hand saucer by rolling through the inlanes. Thus, you need to be shooting for something else before the ball can roll down the inlanes…
So, what do you shoot for straight off the plunge? The tank, presumably, while the ball save is on. And then, well, everything that isn’t the tank in a game called ‘Galactic Tank Force’.Third, the team who programmed this evidently *loved* the video clips. Because they are constantly interrupting the gameplay and they go on for about three seconds longer than you wanted to hear them. Yes, it’s fun hearing Plotnik or Captain Kyan for the first time, but do you really want a long spiel greeting a new cadet or explaining Empress Annoya’s evil scheme each time you start the game or start a feature? I’ll stand corrected if these are skippable, but - if not - I found they interrupted play.
Fourth, after playing Labyrinth, which had very informative inserts for new players, the lack of information communicated by the inserts on GTF was subtly noticeable. It wasn‘t as bad as JJP’s Guns and Roses, but I had to read the rules card - the game just didn’t help me out as a new player.
Fifth, the playfield layout feels remarkably standard. It’s not really innovating. Not a problem, but it needs to be doing something else exceptionally well. The pops were also very tepid. So, the best shot in the game was probably an orbit into the inlanes…
Sixth, the rules just feel slightly subtly ‘off’. The lower playfield is murderous - you just don’t want to be there. The tank creates SDTMs and the slingshots are really vigorous. So, you’d expect the rules to give you lots of points for staying in the lower playfield, right? But, I seemed to get a lot more points shooting the super-repeatable left ramp during a Plotnik mode than going for the tank. So, why go for the tank? Worse still, central bash toys are usually designed for newbie players. A new player flails around, hits the bash toy a few times and - hey presto - something fun happens! With GTF, if you shoot the bash toy, you insta-drain. Not fun
Anyway, in conclusion, a bit of a weird one. Not sure who the audience is, TBH. It’s not playfield/shot/layout fans. It doesn’t have a compelling theme. And the gameplay isn’t targeted at a particular group of players (e.g. families), either.
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I didn’t play Scooby Doo, as I played it at Pinfest last year (sorry). Next review is JJP’s Elton John. I’m going to give spoilers here. I *loved* this pin. If someone held me at gunpoint and said I had to buy a pin from London EAG, it would be Elton John (sorry, Jaws).
My problem with Elton John is the same as my problem with super yachts, namely… the price.
I’ve got fewer pictures of this one because I was focused on playing it, rather than reviewing it.
First things first. I’ve played quite a few JJPs, mostly Dialed In and Guns n’ Roses, but also The Hobbit and Wizard of Oz at the Pinball Office. They tend to have slightly softer-feeling flippers than a Stern, rainbow lighting (often excessively applied), a tendency for an unsatisfying soft plunge as the skillshot, and - in some cases - they’re a bit floaty and have too many multiballs. They always look beautiful, but the gameplay and aesthetics never seem to come 100% together for me - maybe only 90%.
As others have said, Elton John doesn’t play like a typical JJP. It’s very fast, quite brutal and reminds me (possibly due to designer) of Fish Tales, if it was much more complex, had more sparkly rainbows... and was not about fish.
Like most JJPs, the production quality feels high and luxurious, with a gorgeous screen, extensive lighting, and a generally more ‘solid’ feel than the latest Sterns. it’s very VERY rainbow sparkly. JJP tend to go overboard with the RGB lighting, regardless of theme, but this is turned up to 11. It totally fits the theme, but - if you aren’t into rainbow sparkly pop - your mileage may vary.
Unlike Guns n’ Roses, the insert lighting contained actual information about the game state. The skillshot didn’t involve a wet soft plunge with a noodly plunger, but went right up the playfield, and I actually had to earn a multiball (rather than getting one for pressing the start button). It had a gorgeous lock shot to the right-hand side for Crocodile Rock Multiball that had the kinetic satisfaction of the Fish Tales Caster’s Club, and the musical rock accompaniment for the multiball made it a great pinball moment.
Overall, the game seemed to have a great balance of challenge and satisfaction for an intermediate player. I had to dial in the shots to get anywhere and, once I had, I wanted more. There were some really satisfying shots, of a variety of difficulties, including the hurry-up to the left-hand side, and a good balance between stop-start and easy flow, with the game rules seeming to reflect the difficulty/challenge/ease of the shots. The central drops, in particular, felt very satisfying to shoot with a good risk-reward to them.
As with many of the other machines, it wasn’t big on toys, but the lighting (and piano) made the playfield feel more packed than it probably was. The piano display is just great - not sure whether it’s a toy, but it looks goooodddd…
I really, really enjoyed this pin. Probably not one for totally new players, but my initial impression is JJP seem to have really brought everything - lighting, sounds, artwork, layout and gameplay - together for this title. It feels like this title leaves an average Spike 2 Stern in the shade (and, sadly, the price reflects that). Would love to play it again, and to hear what better players than me thought
My problem with Elton John is the same as my problem with super yachts, namely… the price.
I’ve got fewer pictures of this one because I was focused on playing it, rather than reviewing it.
First things first. I’ve played quite a few JJPs, mostly Dialed In and Guns n’ Roses, but also The Hobbit and Wizard of Oz at the Pinball Office. They tend to have slightly softer-feeling flippers than a Stern, rainbow lighting (often excessively applied), a tendency for an unsatisfying soft plunge as the skillshot, and - in some cases - they’re a bit floaty and have too many multiballs. They always look beautiful, but the gameplay and aesthetics never seem to come 100% together for me - maybe only 90%.
As others have said, Elton John doesn’t play like a typical JJP. It’s very fast, quite brutal and reminds me (possibly due to designer) of Fish Tales, if it was much more complex, had more sparkly rainbows... and was not about fish.
Like most JJPs, the production quality feels high and luxurious, with a gorgeous screen, extensive lighting, and a generally more ‘solid’ feel than the latest Sterns. it’s very VERY rainbow sparkly. JJP tend to go overboard with the RGB lighting, regardless of theme, but this is turned up to 11. It totally fits the theme, but - if you aren’t into rainbow sparkly pop - your mileage may vary.
Unlike Guns n’ Roses, the insert lighting contained actual information about the game state. The skillshot didn’t involve a wet soft plunge with a noodly plunger, but went right up the playfield, and I actually had to earn a multiball (rather than getting one for pressing the start button). It had a gorgeous lock shot to the right-hand side for Crocodile Rock Multiball that had the kinetic satisfaction of the Fish Tales Caster’s Club, and the musical rock accompaniment for the multiball made it a great pinball moment.
Overall, the game seemed to have a great balance of challenge and satisfaction for an intermediate player. I had to dial in the shots to get anywhere and, once I had, I wanted more. There were some really satisfying shots, of a variety of difficulties, including the hurry-up to the left-hand side, and a good balance between stop-start and easy flow, with the game rules seeming to reflect the difficulty/challenge/ease of the shots. The central drops, in particular, felt very satisfying to shoot with a good risk-reward to them.
As with many of the other machines, it wasn’t big on toys, but the lighting (and piano) made the playfield feel more packed than it probably was. The piano display is just great - not sure whether it’s a toy, but it looks goooodddd…
I really, really enjoyed this pin. Probably not one for totally new players, but my initial impression is JJP seem to have really brought everything - lighting, sounds, artwork, layout and gameplay - together for this title. It feels like this title leaves an average Spike 2 Stern in the shade (and, sadly, the price reflects that). Would love to play it again, and to hear what better players than me thought
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great reviews thank you @VeeMonroe
I think the question on everyone's lips is, did Phil Palmer crack a smile today?
I live fairly close to the venue and might take Thursday off to go down there; does anyone know if all the pins will still be set up on Thursday?
Also, has Pulp Fiction arrived there yet?
Cheers
Big thanks to @VeeMonroe for the reviews; you've inspired me to get down there!
Also, has Pulp Fiction arrived there yet?
Cheers
Big thanks to @VeeMonroe for the reviews; you've inspired me to get down there!
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2013
- Messages
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Only briefly
Possibly just wind that phil… don’t get too giddy
Lovely stuff @VeeMonroe , as expected too.
A correction though, Steve Ritchie had nothing to do with Fish Tales
It was his superior brother Mark who has done Pulp Fiction, although his best game will always be Taxi
A correction though, Steve Ritchie had nothing to do with Fish Tales
It was his superior brother Mark who has done Pulp Fiction, although his best game will always be Taxi
You are forgetting Diner and Indiana Jones. Both better than Taxi IMHOIt was his superior brother Mark who has done Pulp Fiction, although his best game will always be Taxi
I'm sure Steve was on the fishing trip that inspired Fish Tales.
One question thats been bugging me - who would win in a fight between Bruce and Monster Fish?!!
One question thats been bugging me - who would win in a fight between Bruce and Monster Fish?!!
Okay… I played Jaws quite a bit, largely because that’s where all the social action was There was a Pro and a Premium set up at the Electrocoin stand, so I got to play both and can compare and contrast. I know there are some big Stern fans on here, and I have some large opinions, so you may need to don your peril-sensitive sunglasses for this one.
THE PRO… [Drum roll]
Jaws Pro continues Stern’s time-honoured tradition of including as little on the Pro edition as possible. It has good flow, obviously, but this comes at the expense of being a flat blue playfield with a few ramps and wireforms on it. I found the Pro much easier than the Prem, largely because the ball just whipped around effortlessly on the wires.
The art package is just average. I can’t say much positive about it. The art on the Pro, in person, reminds me of something you’d find in a rundown seafront arcade with 80s cigarette burns still on the carpet. It’s… sort of, well, blue, watery and nautically themed. The playfield is similar, and the lack of stuff on the Pro really draws attention to the very basic and functional artwork. Compared to Labyrinth, Scooby Doo, Elton John and even Galactic Tank Force the whole thing feels, well, bargain basement, which is shocking given the prices Electrocoin are asking in the UK
Don’t shoot the messenger, I’m just telling it as I see it.
The lack of lifting boat/shark on the Pro really affects the ‘pinball moments’ in the gameplay and the usability of the game overall, in my opinion. When the shark would normally pop up, there’s a big flashing white insert that reads ‘shark’. It’s not the same and it will make the pin significantly less appealing to casual players (because, you know, it’s fun when you start shooting a pin and - suddenly - a shark pops up. A flashing insert that reads ‘shark’ doesn’t do the business at all).
The fin is barely noticeable - I kept forgetting it was there (more on that in a moment).
Premium
The Premium feels like the game that Stern intended to release. It still feels a bit ‘dodgy seafront arcade on a rainy February afternoon’ in terms of the aesthetics, but much less so. The pop-up shark is great (sorry, no pictures). Not because it looks like a scary horror shark, but because it pops up regularly and it’s fun and - the first time you see it - it’s like ‘ooohhh, shark’. And, after that, you know when to shoot the shark (which is helpful).
It is… a very cute shark. A small, compact shark.. maybe, a baby shark (doo, doo, doo doo). I really enjoyed seeing it (not feeling the theme then, probably).
That said, the Prem is a bit swings and roundabouts compared to the Pro. On one hand, you get the pop-up teeny shark. On the other hand, you get an apparently pointless upper playfield.
With the Prem, as an intermediate player, I was struggling to get a good enough score to get a really good feel for the machine. However, I ended up in a loiter with @Mike Parkins, @Kelsbells and @Gary Flower, who are way better than me, so I could get a reasonable picture of the gameplay from watching their games.
Keith Elwin, in one of his interviews, said that he didn’t like upper playfields because the ball stayed there too long, and it removed the peril from the game. He designed a ‘quick exit’ playfield for Jaws and my experience, and watching others, is that the ball exits the upper playfield almost immediately. And, while it is there, it doesn’t seem to do that much.
This wouldn’t be so bad, but I found the upper playfield shot (and, weirdly, the shot beside it to the left of the boat) really difficult on the Prem. The ball trickled back out or rejected so many times. Having looked at the geometry of the playfield on the Prem, the problem seems to be that there’s a VUK behind the boat, and the ball doesn’t seem to reliably upkick from that VUK onto the upper playfield. This problem obviously doesn’t exist on the Pro.
In general (both pins)…
I will make the caveat that I’ve never seen the film Jaws. With that in mind, based on my play of Stern Jaws, this is a pin about shark fishing. It’s kinda the sequel to Fish Tales where, instead of a rowing boat in a lake, you take out a little trawler into the deep ocean… tie some knots, smoke moodily with your fellow fishermen, occasionally fire a harpoon at a passing shark… all the while setting up your bloodied bait bucket for the final hunt.
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I’ve talked a lot about the artwork already, but the red font superimposed on the film clips adds to the ‘slightly-decayed seaside resort pier arcade’ feel.
The shark, obviously, doesn’t eat the ball and upper playfield doesn’t look much like a boat. With that out of the way, I can talk about other playfield features. The chum bucket is just laughable. It looks like the cap of a bottle of strawberry-flavoured kiddie cough syrup (sorry), not a horrifying bloody bucket of bait. It doesn’t seem to move a lot either - at least, not that I noticed.
The top ‘reel’ spinner is also a bit ‘bleurgh’. It doesn’t seem to change the ball path too much.
The fin is quite small and, thus, easy to overlook, especially as the blood-red lighting effect for the chumline wasn’t that prominent (in daylight/artificial light, anyway). I kind-of didn’t notice it several times, which is probably a good thing as I sensed it was designed as a distraction for players. It kept popping up and moving at regular intervals and it really didn’t feel a good idea to shoot at it, as my ball got out of control. Maybe it was designed to give big risk-reward, but I didn’t manage to work that out (maybe someone else can help?).
When I did notice the fin, it reminded me of shooting the moving buck in Big Buck Hunter. So, if you like making that shot in that game, it’s making its triumphant return here in Jaws.
I’ve been very negative so far but, moving onto the gameplay, I have many positive things to say. This is an Elwin, after all. As with Elwin, always, he innovates, and he does fun and interesting things. Had I never played (or owned) Godzilla, JP2, A:IQ or Iron Maiden, I think I would have been wowed by the layout. Unfortunately, these other games do exist and, to be honest, I hoped for more.
Just to caveat, I didn’t get to see the video mode, but I didn’t see anyone else in our huddle of players getting to the video mode either.
I did enjoy the staging flipper, which allowed for a harpoon shot (and to cradle the ball while waiting for the film clips to catch up with the game - a similar problem exists with Godzilla). It was very simple, clever and fun. I also loved the skill shot above the pop bumper and that, with each skill shot you completed, you were asked to do more complex and difficult shots. Again, innovative and satisfying.
I also liked the save gate on the right-hand side of the inlane, making its return from classics like Centaur. Really great, simple and satisfying feature.
Jaws also has returning features from other Elwins, such as the post that hold the ball for modes in JP2. This time, there are two posts, one on the right and one on the left-hand side. I don’t think they make the gameplay super-amazing, but they do allow the film clips to finish before you need to start shooting the ball.
Overall, I think this is going to be a very popular Elwin for tournament play. Several tight shots, fast gameplay and some interesting features. There’s definitely a shark hunting theme coming through about securing a bounty, finding your fish, and reeling him in. The Jaws assets are extensive, with lots of film clips, and very limited repetition.
However, for me, it felt like just another Stern - a focus on flow, lots of shooting the red flashing shots, and a disappointing range of toys. If I was going to rank the Elwins, based on my brief play, I’d go:
JP2/GZ — Iron Maiden — Jaws — A:IQ.
It’s better than A:IQ, in my view. The theme is better and more strongly implemented, the code is more comprehensible, and the pop-up shark is just very good fun. However, it can’t compete with the shots of JP2, or the toys of GZ, and I’ve no idea how well it works for Jaws fans.
There was a Pro and a Premium set up at the Electrocoin stand, so I got to play both and can compare and contrast. I know there are some big Stern fans on here, and I have some large opinions, so you may need to don your peril-sensitive sunglasses for this one.THE PRO… [Drum roll]
Jaws Pro continues Stern’s time-honoured tradition of including as little on the Pro edition as possible. It has good flow, obviously, but this comes at the expense of being a flat blue playfield with a few ramps and wireforms on it. I found the Pro much easier than the Prem, largely because the ball just whipped around effortlessly on the wires.
The art package is just average. I can’t say much positive about it. The art on the Pro, in person, reminds me of something you’d find in a rundown seafront arcade with 80s cigarette burns still on the carpet. It’s… sort of, well, blue, watery and nautically themed. The playfield is similar, and the lack of stuff on the Pro really draws attention to the very basic and functional artwork. Compared to Labyrinth, Scooby Doo, Elton John and even Galactic Tank Force the whole thing feels, well, bargain basement, which is shocking given the prices Electrocoin are asking in the UK
Don’t shoot the messenger, I’m just telling it as I see it.
The lack of lifting boat/shark on the Pro really affects the ‘pinball moments’ in the gameplay and the usability of the game overall, in my opinion. When the shark would normally pop up, there’s a big flashing white insert that reads ‘shark’. It’s not the same and it will make the pin significantly less appealing to casual players (because, you know, it’s fun when you start shooting a pin and - suddenly - a shark pops up. A flashing insert that reads ‘shark’ doesn’t do the business at all).
The fin is barely noticeable - I kept forgetting it was there (more on that in a moment).
Premium
The Premium feels like the game that Stern intended to release. It still feels a bit ‘dodgy seafront arcade on a rainy February afternoon’ in terms of the aesthetics, but much less so. The pop-up shark is great (sorry, no pictures). Not because it looks like a scary horror shark, but because it pops up regularly and it’s fun and - the first time you see it - it’s like ‘ooohhh, shark’. And, after that, you know when to shoot the shark (which is helpful).
It is… a very cute shark. A small, compact shark.. maybe, a baby shark (doo, doo, doo doo). I really enjoyed seeing it (not feeling the theme then, probably).
That said, the Prem is a bit swings and roundabouts compared to the Pro. On one hand, you get the pop-up teeny shark. On the other hand, you get an apparently pointless upper playfield.
With the Prem, as an intermediate player, I was struggling to get a good enough score to get a really good feel for the machine. However, I ended up in a loiter with @Mike Parkins, @Kelsbells and @Gary Flower, who are way better than me, so I could get a reasonable picture of the gameplay from watching their games.
Keith Elwin, in one of his interviews, said that he didn’t like upper playfields because the ball stayed there too long, and it removed the peril from the game. He designed a ‘quick exit’ playfield for Jaws and my experience, and watching others, is that the ball exits the upper playfield almost immediately. And, while it is there, it doesn’t seem to do that much.
This wouldn’t be so bad, but I found the upper playfield shot (and, weirdly, the shot beside it to the left of the boat) really difficult on the Prem. The ball trickled back out or rejected so many times. Having looked at the geometry of the playfield on the Prem, the problem seems to be that there’s a VUK behind the boat, and the ball doesn’t seem to reliably upkick from that VUK onto the upper playfield. This problem obviously doesn’t exist on the Pro.
In general (both pins)…
I will make the caveat that I’ve never seen the film Jaws. With that in mind, based on my play of Stern Jaws, this is a pin about shark fishing. It’s kinda the sequel to Fish Tales where, instead of a rowing boat in a lake, you take out a little trawler into the deep ocean… tie some knots, smoke moodily with your fellow fishermen, occasionally fire a harpoon at a passing shark… all the while setting up your bloodied bait bucket for the final hunt.
View attachment trim.40C469F4-5A20-4C7B-8F51-65317CB337E6.MOV
I’ve talked a lot about the artwork already, but the red font superimposed on the film clips adds to the ‘slightly-decayed seaside resort pier arcade’ feel.
The shark, obviously, doesn’t eat the ball and upper playfield doesn’t look much like a boat. With that out of the way, I can talk about other playfield features. The chum bucket is just laughable. It looks like the cap of a bottle of strawberry-flavoured kiddie cough syrup (sorry), not a horrifying bloody bucket of bait. It doesn’t seem to move a lot either - at least, not that I noticed.
The top ‘reel’ spinner is also a bit ‘bleurgh’. It doesn’t seem to change the ball path too much.
The fin is quite small and, thus, easy to overlook, especially as the blood-red lighting effect for the chumline wasn’t that prominent (in daylight/artificial light, anyway). I kind-of didn’t notice it several times, which is probably a good thing as I sensed it was designed as a distraction for players. It kept popping up and moving at regular intervals and it really didn’t feel a good idea to shoot at it, as my ball got out of control. Maybe it was designed to give big risk-reward, but I didn’t manage to work that out (maybe someone else can help?).
When I did notice the fin, it reminded me of shooting the moving buck in Big Buck Hunter. So, if you like making that shot in that game, it’s making its triumphant return here in Jaws.
I’ve been very negative so far but, moving onto the gameplay, I have many positive things to say. This is an Elwin, after all. As with Elwin, always, he innovates, and he does fun and interesting things. Had I never played (or owned) Godzilla, JP2, A:IQ or Iron Maiden, I think I would have been wowed by the layout. Unfortunately, these other games do exist and, to be honest, I hoped for more.
Just to caveat, I didn’t get to see the video mode, but I didn’t see anyone else in our huddle of players getting to the video mode either.
I did enjoy the staging flipper, which allowed for a harpoon shot (and to cradle the ball while waiting for the film clips to catch up with the game - a similar problem exists with Godzilla). It was very simple, clever and fun. I also loved the skill shot above the pop bumper and that, with each skill shot you completed, you were asked to do more complex and difficult shots. Again, innovative and satisfying.
I also liked the save gate on the right-hand side of the inlane, making its return from classics like Centaur. Really great, simple and satisfying feature.
Jaws also has returning features from other Elwins, such as the post that hold the ball for modes in JP2. This time, there are two posts, one on the right and one on the left-hand side. I don’t think they make the gameplay super-amazing, but they do allow the film clips to finish before you need to start shooting the ball.
Overall, I think this is going to be a very popular Elwin for tournament play. Several tight shots, fast gameplay and some interesting features. There’s definitely a shark hunting theme coming through about securing a bounty, finding your fish, and reeling him in. The Jaws assets are extensive, with lots of film clips, and very limited repetition.
However, for me, it felt like just another Stern - a focus on flow, lots of shooting the red flashing shots, and a disappointing range of toys. If I was going to rank the Elwins, based on my brief play, I’d go:
JP2/GZ — Iron Maiden — Jaws — A:IQ.
It’s better than A:IQ, in my view. The theme is better and more strongly implemented, the code is more comprehensible, and the pop-up shark is just very good fun. However, it can’t compete with the shots of JP2, or the toys of GZ, and I’ve no idea how well it works for Jaws fans.
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