Lord of the Rings

[ScotchYeti]

Has anyone seen a LotR table in good shape? The first I played some time ago in Eurodisney in Paris. It was pretty worn with many missing parts. Yesterday I found another table very close to where I live. It's in much better shape but the "Path of the Dead" had no artwork anymore and just below, when the ball rolls down the lane from the Path of the Dead, there seemed to be something missing. Often the ball would fall down into some kind of sink and only the ball search would kick it back into the playfield. At one time during Multiball 3 balls were trapped there and I could practice some shots with just a single ball.

Anyway, great table for beginners and I love the effects and animations.

Next time I need to try the "Pirates of the Caribbean".

 

[Sean DonCarlos]

There's one near me in very good condition. Only complaint I have is that the Palantir target is bent back and hitting it often yields a glass-cracking airball, usually followed a quick drain from being startled and unable to react.

That sink below the Path of the Dead is probably the Mystery hole with a bad kickout.

I'm not sure I'd consider LOTR a beginner's table - it's pretty tough, or at least the one here is, and the final wizard mode (Valinor Multiball) is about as close to pinball impossibility you can get without actually being totally impossible.

 

[Kevlar]

I played one last weekend in London that was in good shape, nothing wrong with it as far as I could tell. Nice table, was set on 5 balls too.

 

[Richard B]

I know a guy who owns one in good shape (like all his machines are). He bought it from someone who put some nice mods in, such as an LED kit and a shaker motor (it's a standard edition). It's easy to understand the basic rules, and has two Wizard modes, one that's challenging, but not impossible to reach, the other only experts will ever see (much like Ripley's Atlantis, but all three multiballs must also be won, in addition to completing the modes). Last time I played it, I got to Destroy the Ring (the first Wizard Mode), but it didn't work right, and I failed it.
I can't count how many times I've played it, but it's one of my favorite tables, and one of the most played on VP.
Speaking of that, JP Salas just updated his already awesome table. Give it a try if you haven't already.

 

[Matt McIrvin]

LOTR is one of the minority of tables at the Canobie Lake arcade that is actually in playable shape, though one of the flippers is a little droopy. I like it a lot.

 

[Kolchak357]

I had a beautiful one just several blocks away. Only 50 cents per play. I stopped in about once a week and put about 5 bucks in it each time. Unfortunately the pool hall closed recently and with it went my LOTR. I haven't really played much of the newer Stern tables, but this was a really enjoyable pin. A very deep table that would keep even the best TPA players busy for a while. I assume this would be a licensing nightmare to get though.

 

[ScotchYeti]

I had a beautiful one just several blocks away. Only 50 cents per play. I stopped in about once a week and put about 5 bucks in it each time.

5 bucks? This means you stayed there 2 hours?

I was surprised how long you can keep the ball alive and earning replays is also not that hard.

 

[Kolchak357]

More like an hour and a half for me. I never really got good at that pin. But there was anther guy that used to play it a lot too. He could play all afternoon for a buck. He never seemed to lose ball control. When I saw him there I would just turn around and come back another day.