First Wizard of Oz

[DanBradford]

agreed. i think that JJP will either rise like a dragon or sink like Cthulhu based entirely on The Hobbit.

JJ got a free pass with WOZ, as everyone was so pleased to see a serious competitor enter the market (so Stern would raise their game, and they have), and because it looks so lovely and feels so sturdy. i have read that so many times, but i seldom see anyone comment on the gameplay, except to say that it's incomplete and that finished code may make it fantastic. i'm sure that in another climate, WOZ would have killed off JJP for good, as frankly it's not exactly set the world on fire. fact is that currently it's very slow and has no flow at all, it's all up and down and wait. up and down and up and down. no looping action to speak of, no combos to speak of, and nothing to make anyone familiar with pinball sit up and say 'wow'.

the theme of Wizard of Oz seems to divide us, for me it's no problem but for many it screams of wool and pink and clean and polite and gentle and girly and clean and fresh and family and .... and clean .... and .... dull. basically we're all so used to pinball being all wild and ACDC that a pin like WOZ doesn't fit the mould anymore. i should mention that not only do i love the film, but i also totally support Jack and loved this game for years before release (i even had a £2K deposit down on this game which woulda been my first NIB, until delays and other needs for the cash meant i had to pull out) ..... but The Hobbit fits with mainstream pinheads, and if that one can't be a hit - by hit, i mean as popular as anything currently rated as top 10 all time games (MM, TZ, MB, AFM, LOTR, TAF, ACDC, SM, TOTAN, SS) - then i think it'll be a slow and painful death for JJP.


but i'd love to hear more opinions on the subject of JJP and WOZ/TH

 

[canuck]

In retrospect it was a stroke of genius to produce Woz as the movie's 75th anniversary is coming up and the studio is rolling out a $25million merchandise and advertising campaign.

 

[DaPinballWizard]

I was recently in Seattle and saw one of these... I didn't play it though as I was busy on other tables. But it's really a nice looking machine.

I was just at The Seattle Pinball Museum again and they sent their OZ back for the finishing touches. I guess it was only a promo version and was unfinished. They said they are expecting OZ back by the 20th. I hope to hit it up for some gameplay before leaving here.
But it was nice to see they had a Metallica, AC/DC and Tron right next to each other. LOTR, ST:TNG, TZ, Monster Bash, TOTAN, Champion Pub, Scared Stiff, NBA Fastbreak, Rolling Stones, Tommy, Black Hole among many, many others all set to free play rounded out the tables. Can't beat the $13 entrance fee for unlimited gameplay for the day.

I am liking Metallica a lot. Frying the little dude is pretty fun. AC/DC is pretty damn nice too.

 

[PS Garek]

I've played WOZ a bunch of times on several locations and have sort of mixed but ultimately positive impressions.

I first played it on the floor of a convention before it was released and before the rules were really set. It didn't quite matter though, because it was just really neat to see a new companies' take on pinball (even if the designer, programmer, and artist were all seasoned vets). The whizbang factor was pretty high, and I left impressed. In the last couple months, an operator picked one up here in Chicago and it's floated between two barcades. As Dan Branford mentioned, it was slow and dull. Especially playing it in the first months of its arrival, the rules weren't that interesting (and still are a bit half baked), and it had several obnoxious glitches (often a ball would get locked and the machine would lose track of it, when I recently played the same machine that's been fixed but whatever controls the lower half of the LED lights isn't working so they're just flashing random colors). While it was an impressive machine sitting next to the most recent Sterns, I felt like I was getting a lot more game out of AC/DC or Metallica.

Fortunately, I was able to play at a location in Pennsylvania and at Reciprocal in New York City and they had their machines set up very well. It seems like the default pitch that a lot of operators have been setting it is too low, because the speed was a lot more satisfying at those locations. Similarly, there weren't any of the glitches. With the recent iteration of the rules and a good pitch, the game is very fun though still not the spectacular experience I think most people are looking for. JJP is a brand new company, and any company starting a large inside manufacturing operation isn't going to have an entirely smooth ride, and Stern has 27 years of institutional experience ahead of them. Hopefully, there's room for both of them, because I genuinely enjoy both of their games.

 

[Mark W**a]

The machine is breathtaking. Wasn't sure how I'd like the full screen display, but it works so well and really makes you feel like "this is the future of pinball".

The build quality is un-be-lievable. It feels like a brand new, Bally/Williams wide body. Maybe even better! It's heavy, and you can tell how well built it is the moment you touch it. It's on an entirely higher level than Premium/LE Sterns, without a doubt.

The colors are breathtaking. The toys are absolute top notch quality, no off the shelf junk here... Little touches, like the outlane minigame, the Crystal Ball which displays its own video (how in the world did they pull this off), the speed and gameplay is great. It really is a stunning piece.

Man this thing is an attention grabber. People that have the resources to do so are really missing a huge opportunity not putting more of these on location. I am not kidding when I say this game is strong enough to put pinball back on the map.

Oh and one final thing the sound is amazing too.

I thought I would have been put off by the theme, and the 1.00$ asking price per play, but man no way I feel like a badass playing that machine! Somehow more badass than playing Metallica! Jersey Jack is so legit...

 

[brakel]

I'm hoping to play it eventually. I saw it at the Milwaukee show but the line was just too long for me to wait. There were at least 30 people in line for it and I couldn't tell if they were letting people play a full game or not. I'm not put off by the theme. They used to show the movie on TV every year around Halloween when I was little and it always scared the crap out of me!

 

[karl]

I am seriously thinking about getting on the Hobbit band wagon. It is after all the same guy who gave us LOTR. There is so much good in what JJ have accomplished on "The wizard of Oz"
I have never played or seen it and I think the theme is boring as hell and that is the only reason why I have no excitement towards Oz. The Build quality and the attention to the small things that will get pinball a step further is all there in JJ.
There is so much more for the (almost) same price that Stern gives us. Everything looks so much sturdier and screams quality.

Now, What do do???

 

[Mayuh]

In terms of value I think WoZ will keep its price as it is the first machine from JJP. First and last machine (think cactus canyon) from a manufacturer will be very valuable over time. Unless it's a big hit like MM. I doubt hobbit will do that - or it is a really awesome machine

The WoZ theme isn't that bad after all. I really like it as there is much to do and the animations accompany very well. Easy shots aren't worth much, while hard ones a super scoring. The atmosphere (well, yeah GI is way too dark) esp. in toto and no place like home is just pure fun. It grabs you and sucks you into the the game. It was awesome when I finished no place like home the first time, and the machine resumed to normal play afterwards.

Anyway your mileage may vary... I like it

 

[Metalzoic]

I am seriously thinking about getting on the Hobbit band wagon. It is after all the same guy who gave us LOTR. There is so much good in what JJ have accomplished on "The wizard of Oz"
I have never played or seen it and I think the theme is boring as hell and that is the only reason why I have no excitement towards Oz. The Build quality and the attention to the small things that will get pinball a step further is all there in JJ.
There is so much more for the (almost) same price that Stern gives us. Everything looks so much sturdier and screams quality.

Now, What do do???

Should have jumped in before the 1st when they had the price increase.
After seeing how amazing WOZ turned out I jumped on The Hobbit the day after they announced it.

As for WOZ I've seen far more good reviews and things said about it than bad. A couple weeks ago I met a guy that has played it recently and he felt it was incredible.

 

[Espy]

I am seriously thinking about getting on the Hobbit band wagon. It is after all the same guy who gave us LOTR.

Not sure if this is what you meant, but The Hobbit is by a different designer. LOTR was a George Gomez machine, can't recall off the top of my head who is doing The Hobbit.

...Unless you meant Tolkien!

 

[karl]

Espy. Yes I know that George Gomez designed LOTR (on paper at least) but there was others heavy involved with how that game came about. GG did not know much about or cared much about the license and had very little to do about the rules in the
game. He designed the main layout, but there was so much more to that game than the layout

 

[Carl Spiby]

Espy. Yes I know that George Gomez designed LOTR (on paper at least) but there was others heavy involved with how that game came about. GG did not know much about or cared much about the license and had very little to do about the rules in the
game. He designed the main layout, but there was so much more to that game than the layout

Yeah he referred to the Balrog as 'the fire guy'. LOTR was originally supposed to be themed on The Matrix.

 

[Espy]

So who is involved on The Hobbit that had an influence on LOTR?

 

[Mark W**a]

Don't be turned off by the license. It's a better machine than Metallica and avengers and this coming from a metallica and marvel fan who would never watch WoOz if you paid me.

 

[Metalzoic]

So who is involved on The Hobbit that had an influence on LOTR?

Keith Johnson who programmed and designed the rules for LOTR and TSPP. And designed by Joe Balcer who (along with Keith) designed Simpsons Pinball Party.
I thought there was another member of the LOTR team working on the Hobbit, but now I can't remember.

 

[karl]

I believe (but I am not 100% sure) that the last person is Chris Granner
http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=4858

 

[PS Garek]

In terms of value I think WoZ will keep its price as it is the first machine from JJP. First and last machine (think cactus canyon) from a manufacturer will be very valuable over time.

Cactus Canyon is mostly really expensive because it's extremely scarce. If there were a couple thousand more of them, the price would be much much lower. After all, people aren't fighting over getting the Star Wars Episode One tables floating around out there. Similarly, people aren't chasing after Laser War either (DE's first table).

 

[Espy]

Keith Johnson who programmed and designed the rules for LOTR and TSPP. And designed by Joe Balcer who (along with Keith) designed Simpsons Pinball Party.
I thought there was another member of the LOTR team working on the Hobbit, but now I can't remember.

That's pretty cool. I thought it was a missed opportunity for them not to get the LOTR staff working on it, but looks like that's not the case.

 

[Metalzoic]

That's pretty cool. I thought it was a missed opportunity for them not to get the LOTR staff working on it, but looks like that's not the case.

Plus Chris Granner like Karl posted who also helped design LOTR.

 

[brakel]

I had the chance to play Wizard of Oz a few times this past weekend at the Chicago Pinball Expo. I really enjoyed playing it. I don't have a critical review to share. It was just really fun. If I was looking to buy a new pin this would probably be the one. It had a good flow and seemed well built.