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Clash of the Elwins

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huggers

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5Years
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Wondering your thoughts on Elwin's games and where you rank them against each other. I've had two of his NIB (IMDN and JP2), also had AIQ. Have only lightly played GZ and haven't yet played Jaws or King Kong. You guys that have played them all or most of them, how do you rank them and why. I'm particularly interested in the two I haven't played.
 
I can only comment on Godzilla as it’s the only Elwin game I’ve played (and own) and even after a year of ownership I still think it’s the best pin I’ve ever played or owned and I’ve owned 15 over the years.

Would love to play Kong and Jaws but none to be found around Northamptonshire.
 
I personally have it as:

Kong
Godzilla
Jaws
JP
Maiden
Bond 60th
AIQ

The top three are all very close for me. I think Kong has the potential to stretch out ahead once it’s code-complete.
 
I think GZ is probably Elwin's most accessible pin and his best 'all-rounder'.

JP2 is his best 'hardcore' pin.

I also think IMDN is excellent, but can't rate it beyond that.

Kong is... good. It reminds me of 'Elwin does Congo and Indiana Jones'. It didn't wow me, but it feels like a real people pleaser.

A:IQ is soulless, but has great codes and shots.

Jaws feels like a mess. Everyone seems to like it, but it feels like a people-pleasing fan layout where every shot starts something or lights something up. Great theme and humour though.

Bond 60th is a great pin wrecked by, well, Stern.
 
I would go this order, but all great pins. And over time Kong might move. But atm not feeling it

JP
Godzilla
Jaws
Kong
Bond 60th
AIQ
Maiden
 
I loved JP2 so much I bought it twice. Seriously tempted by Jaws just because of theme but I hear Kong is outrageous shots wise
 
For me it's

JP>IMDN>JAWS>GZ>AIQ

KK it's too early to say really, flow is great but no shot is that good mix of challenging but rewarding imo. The theme integration, immersion and moments are also lacking right now but that could change. I wouldn't get it as an only game atm just because it's still got a long way to go code wise and I'd rather have a code complete game if it was my only machine.
 
Jaws
Maiden
Godzilla
JP
AIQ
Ain't played enough of the other 2 to have an opinion.
 
I always slag GZ off, simply because in tournaments it can go on forever. I need to put more time on it and I'm sure my opinion would change based on everyone's feedback. From games I have put a lot of time on my list goes like this, best to worst:

JP2 - A real shooters game, the "O" shot tough but so satisfying and the missile shot past the truck to that amber target is genius.
IMDN - Serious depth, a real tough nut to crack. Super jackpot target, tough shot but seriously satisfying. GREAT MUSIC !!!
JAWS - Greatest theme and integration. Immersion is this games biggest draw.
AIQ - Theme and callouts are pants. Shoots like a dream.

From my limited time on Bond 60th I am a fan, modern game in a classic style. Want to put more time on it but good luck finding one to play.

Kong shoots very nicely, only played the PREMIUM. Not played the PRO but personally I prefer having the gong to hit which the PRO is lacking. Still early code, I am not wowed by the game but that could change over time.
 
GZ for me - mine's bolted to the floor. I have a very good comparison metric for GZ v KK - I first played them both, virtually sight unseen, at Swaveseys a few years apart. Wanted a GZ immediately, KK, I could take or leave.
 
Judderman said:
GZ for me - mine's bolted to the floor. I have a very good comparison metric for GZ v KK - I first played them both, virtually sight unseen, at Swaveseys a few years apart. Wanted a GZ immediately, KK, I could take or leave.
Click to expand...
That’s how I felt, I played Godzilla at Pinfest 2024 and I knew before I had driven home from the event on the Saturday I had to buy one.
 
Maiden - great ruleset - sweet spot for length of time to get to Beast.

Jaws - ruleset is huge ( 35 pages ), but multiple paths, so totally non-linear.

Kong - layout is one of the best ever, shots are incredible. Not yet sure about ruleset/theme immersion.

JP - not a fan of linear code, but it's a fantastic game.

GZ - I have played this so many times and but I don't yet get the hype. Maybe I need to own it for a good few months.

Avengers - fantastic to shoot but sound package/theme immersion is not for me.

60th - only played it a few times - crazy price for what it is.
 
My current order which I will update in due course. 😀

JP2 - great game, only issue i have is skill shots are tiny bit repetitive. That said, its mean (how i like it) & has different ways to attack the game. Shots and flow are unreal. Plus the t rex eats the ball. 🦖🦖🦖

Godz - great game, as some others have pointed out plays a bit long, but good flow, ramps, mechs etc.🐲

Jaws - its a bit of a posh fan, but some posh fans play great. I just think its a bit straight forward to play with not as many shots that really give me that WOW feeling

Imdn - its alright, not really vibed with it that much

Aiq - dont like it at all.

Kong - not yet played but looks good, looking like this could be an upper tier game. Cant wait to have a go

Bond 60th - never played either
 
I think it's very hard to separate them. I would choose pretty much any of them over almost any game out there, as in, all of them would be in the best 10-15 games ever made, which is just an insane level of consistency from Elwin.

I think my current list would be

Godzilla
JP2
Maiden
AiQ
Kong
Jaws

I think Godzilla is probably the most complete game ever made, probably the best ever.

Jurassic Park is the best journey based game of all time, it's almost perfect, it's just far more linear than Godzilla, which means it doesn't quite have the same replayability as Zilla (Yuen will disagree 😳)

Maiden is incredible, owned it 3 times, but always end up selling it because again, it's quite linear and each game feels like you are going on the same path. However, I would love to own it again 🤣 as I didn't ever play for death blows and mega scores, rather than just trying to complete the game.

AIQ is amazing once you understand how to play it. Some days I would put it above Maiden and JP2. I think it has more replayability than both of those games, the ways of playing it are endless and the shots are as good as any game ever made.

Kong is superb. It has the potential to pass all of those above it once the code is complete. It's very very fun

Jaws I have the least time on. I think it's excellent and would love to spend more time with one/have one
 
And Bond 60th is amazing too. Just shouldn't be considered against the other games. But it's also fantastic. The man doesn't miss
 
I kinda loved AIQ. It is a bit souless but it shoots so well and has awesome rules.
 
Of the ones I've had at home...

JP with movie code
GZ great package but JP is a better theme
AIQ best shooter, cool rules
IMDN layout is brilliant but too punishing, theme/code doesn't grab me

Others I've played a few times at events...

Kong might be the only one that shoots better than AIQ, need more time to tell...
Jaws doesn't really grab me but people are saying the rules are great
Bond60 is good but the price is stupid.
 
Personal opinion having never owned any of them, but have put hundreds of games on most.

Godzilla - does everything right, shots, sounds, art, rules, immersion, the works. The best I've ever played.

Jaws - best theme ever for me, love the modes, shots, callouts, and the code is getting better and better. The one I would buy first.

Kong - Has the potential to be the best. Shots and combos are fantastic, and it just flows. Lack of tie in license helps it, not as restricted as it could have been. Forthcoming code may push it higher

Jurassic Park - tough, but awesome game. Art package is bad, but the game is amazing. Has that one more game appeal.

Maiden - Hated it the first 30-50 games, grew to really appreciate it. Such a good game, with amazing combo potential.

Bond 60th - The odd one out. Completely different from the rest, but a great game. No ramps, no toys, just a clean shooter. Watching Mr Elwin play it at the UK Open was a bit special.

AIQ - The weakest of the bunch, but still a very good game, just up against some of the best ever. Brilliant shots, but everything else is pretty ropey. Art package, sounds, theme integration is all missing.

I agree with @roadshow16 that we are trying to rank some of the best ever games against each other. Elwin just gets pinball, and pinball players and is an absolute genius
 
I am so surprised that so many people have Jaws so low down.

I haven’t played Kong, but I think Jaws is better than all the rest.

I guess it just shows, each to their own!
 
Epotech said:
I find he is sometimes too ambitious with the space available. IM top loop is an example.
GZ
Kong
JP
IM
Jaws
60th
Click to expand...
I think that’s the genius of the Kong layout - there are so many shots in the game but the way he’s divided the playfield between the lower and upper flippers means it doesn’t feel claustrophobic and none of the shots are particularly tight
 
I'd go

Kong
AIQ
GZ
JP2
Jaws
Maiden

I've not played much of most of them but from what I've seen Kong looks like his best layout. The way you can flow the shots using all four flippers is excellent.

I got an AIQ purely based on layout and it didn't disappoint. For flow, it's unmatched and it just feels so great to shoot. There's a lot of learning in the rules which makes it a good home game. I think the art and the animations and overall sound are great but the call-outs definitely need some work - not being into Avengers probably helps with this one.

I like GZ but I've only played it couple of times so can't really comment. Same for JP2 and Jaws.

Maiden - I find the layout a bit clunky (plus it spanks me every time I play it!) so last place.

They are all excellent though. Perfect home games with lots going on.
 
Just to stir the pot...

Jaws
Godzilla
Jurassic
AIQ
Maiden

Haven't played Kong yet so can't comment but I think Jaws tops Zilla for me, love both themes but I personally believe Jaws may be more approachable for non-pinball players and yet deep enough too and the extra modes are fantastic for home play - every game should have a 'Jaws the revenge' type mode.

I am in the honeymoon phase of Jaws though, so may be blinded by bias... Would love to play more Jurassic. Feel a swap out for AIQ at some point may be on the cards.
 
I’ve enjoyed reading people’s thoughts about Elwin’s games, so I thought I would add my two pence.

This is tough one as all the Elwin pins are superb and I always like to have at least one of his games in my collection.

GZ wins every category for theme, shots and deep code. My only complaint is that game times can go on for a while, but it is very entertaining with so many different ways to play and different paths to take.

AIQ I know a lot of you don’t rate this because of the theme. The moment I first played it at Chief Coffee all those years ago I knew I had to have it at home. It shoots so well and once you learn about the gems and how they can be moved around to give different variation to each game it’s genius and keeps me coming back to try another combination. My best pinball moment was finally completing it and defeating Thanos.

Iron Maiden- Love this game as well and had it at home for a few years. Will probably get another one again in the future. I really like the music as well which helps. I wasn’t able to complete it in the time I had it.

Jaws - I think the integration of the movie into the game play has been done incredibly well. I love the immersion of modes with the light shows. It has some nice shots and and lots of special modes that can be chosen at the start of the game. Definitely on my future wish list.

King Kong - I haven’t played a huge amount of this game, but from what I have played I really like. It’s a cool theme with some nice shots and good use of the action button to help keep the ball in the “Danger area”. I’m sure it will get even better with future code updates.

JP - Weirdly my least favourite Elwin game. It shoots really nice and has lots of modes. But ultimately for me it just feels like a generic Dinosaur game. I know there are different fan code updates to make it feel more like JP the movie which does improve it. I’m not really a massive fan of the films either which doesn’t help.

Bond 60th - is a great shooting game for a single level game, but no where near worth the money it retails for.
 
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