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The Hobbit ...... A love affair

  • Thread starter Deleted member 181
  • Start date
D

Deleted member 181

Never really felt compelled to write anything at all about any pinball machine in all the many many crazy years in this hobby ... But since owning The Hobbit I feel it deserves a bit of a write up .

For me to even have a game longer than one week is quite an achievement, so I feel kinda qualified to talk about this game after owning it for a week under five months now and in my world that’s a lifetime :thumbs:


My opinion of this machine is it’s the finest example of a movie integration into a pinball machine ever. You genuinely feel like you are battling your way through this epic journey and each game can be approached completely differently. Do you immediately attempt to wipe out Smaug ?? Or are you going to concentrate on reaching Erabour ?? or will you attempt to work your way through the 31 modes??

Each mode is totally different some are incredibly simple and others mind bendingly hard. Feels so good when your down to your last few seconds and you nail that left ramp and another 10 seconds is your reward , just enough time to wait for that warg to pop up and a well timed bash ends the mode.



The three Arkenstone modes are each so challenging and heart attack stressful. I have only achieved two of these and have no clue what happens after “ battle of the five armies “



Audio and video is so well integrated into the game , the large screen although isn’t a game changer I feel suits this machine perfectly as there is so much information to be displayed . It’s a welcome relief to trap the ball and have a quick scroll through how many modes you have started or how far away from a Arhenstone mode you are



You have to approach this game like no other machine out there , you can’t just think “ oh I am going to have a few games on the hobbit “ it’s a one maybe two game a day machine , it leaves you exhausted and a game can last 30 plus minutes.. but that’s not a bad thing , for me anyway.. I don’t get that much time anymore and one game a day will do it .



I would say that this needs to have another machine close by , I tend to have a session on TH and go straight into Aerosmith it’s like the perfect ying and yang , beer and cigarettes moment it’s great to throw a few balls around Aero and just have fun . TH is a war TH is not what I would say is “ fun “ it’s more of a battle but if you want fun play deadpool if you want to pit man against machine play TH.



The machine is also a thing of sheer beauty I have the Smaug, all versions look amazing but this thing just stands out like a piece of art. Just having the game running in attract mode kinda gets me a bit moist ? When I have friends over and most have little interest in pinball all gravitate to TH when compared side by side to Aerosmith no one gives Aero a second glance.



So that’s my thoughts on what I see as probably one of the best machines out there, and before I get the abuse about liking WoZ yep I do I love WoZ but I feel this is just a better game it shoots better and just feels better, and this isn’t a JJP fanboy letter I had DI and that was horrendous and lasted less than a week ?



Should also add that I am basing this on the new code I never played the old code and by all accounts it was pretty terrible. This new code from what I have been told is a game changer , I am just happy I didn’t play it when it was first out .



I still won’t say it’s a keeper but it’s the closest thing I have had to one .
Cheers Bitches


FS Smaug LE ?
 
am just happy I didn’t play it when it was first out .
I did, sadly. Hated it since. Might try again one day, but it’s not going to be soon. I’m sure it’s excellent now, but the thing I played shouldn’t ever have been released.

Kind Regards,
A never buy NIB person, more of an always wait a few years for them to actually finish what they started type.
 
Have had my hobbit for 1 week now, also loving it. Trying to work out how you can tell whether the modes in the hexagons have been started or fully completed? Also on the status screen the modes have little icons after them, what do those indicate?
Finally have no idea what the purple lights on the drop targets mean. Might all be obvious, but can't find an up to date rule sheet
 
So, Hobbit has made it past the one night stand eh? :D

I knew the pinball world has changed a lot in the last few years, but this is perhaps the biggest shock of all:eek:
 
I did, sadly. Hated it since. Might try again one day, but it’s not going to be soon. I’m sure it’s excellent now, but the thing I played shouldn’t ever have been released.

Kind Regards,
A never buy NIB person, more of an always wait a few years for them to actually finish what they started type.

I got one NIB on launch and despite being wowed by the machine, it made me miss lotr which I got again and moved hobbit on, maybe due to early code - just felt it was all lumbering multiball - perhaps I wanted to like it too much. I’ve not had nor seen many better machines build wise.
 
I think hobbit is the best visual and audible game ever produced I love it the only down side is that there is no quick game every one is epic

Agreed but I think Pirates will give it a run for its money for best visual and audible if it gets the treatment Hobbit did :D

@chris b and myself had some epic games on Hobbit at EAG, each code update it gets better!!!!

I'm having a total love affair with Pirates atm, I feel its the best JJP to date... Jam packed play field, great flow and great coding... Love the chapters but having 6 multiples that you can stack and play all at once is exciting and extremely addictive :D
 
After a loan of a standard Hobbit from Phil at P.H. (Big up to Phil on that one :thumbs:) I had it on my sniper scope and bagged a LE mins after it came on here overloaded with mods and extras far too many to list. Hand on heart it is one hellova pin and I whole heartedly agree with your write up however mine will defo be a keeper alongside my 20yr old TZ.
The Pros - too many to list but standouts are sound and art in both video and the PF as it’s absolutely stunning.
Cons - like ChrisB said long games even with no ball saver and inlanes opened they can last Oh and god forbid you host a 3 player game lol

Both family, friends and visitors are absolutely blown away by it
 
Theme does nothing for me sadly, but I watched a video yesterday about how the machine is put together and man you certainly get a lot of equipment for your money. I've never seen such a packed playfield.

Puts Stern, and particularly more recent efforts, to shame.
 
It's got a helluva amount of tech under the hood. With early code it tended to be go for multi ball and that was it. But JJP have been clever with the code updates on this. It has loads to shoot for now, many modes and plenty wizard modes to keep you amused. I have the Smaug and it's a juggernaut of a pin. Touch wood it's been reliable too. Never needed to lift the playfield. Only needed to remove the glass a few times due to stuck balls..
 
Glad to see there is a lot of love out there for TH I did get the impression that most folk despised it . I know a lot of the tournament players don’t get on with it as it would be a nightmare getting TH drawn in a meet or a comp.
I think it’s immense , kinda sucks that I will probably have to this at some stage as my car keeps costing me more and more each bastard dat , but I have never been attached to machines and the word keeper has no meaning to me :hmm:
 
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