...never spent any time playing them enough to learn a ruleset, in fact, remember really trying IJ4 for the first time when some TOPL members went to Starburst prior to 2nd last tourny @ Nick's (when TDK was releaed) & telling Charles that the play on IJ4 was so boring I started thinking of my tax return for the coming year - lol..

Anyway, just wondering in regards to (any) "depth" of ruleset & overall play how IJ4, POTC, TDK, & WoF would rate in comparison to 1 another...

Thanks much!

-Rod

I played them all and the one i liked the most was POTC.

However, the games were ultra long, maybe it was not setted properly, its my only complain.

Batman was an early rom and was boring to tears... IJ4 was ok but felt exactly like the Jurassic Park i owned (no wonder its the same exact layout). I never felt the need to play either again (Batman and IJ4) but i would certainly entertain playing a POTC when i can (heck i would even own one if the price was right).

I love the unique layout of WOF but lack of a Wizard mode because of unfinished software is a bit of a detracter for me.  

POTC is growing on me lately for some reason.  

IJ4 and TDK are terrible don't waste your money.  

Quoted from Azatotht

I played them all and the one i liked the most was POTC.

However, the games were ultra long, maybe it was not setted properly, its my only complain.

Batman was an early rom and was boring to tears... IJ4 was ok but felt exactly like the Jurassic Park i owned (no wonder its the same exact layout). I never felt the need to play either again (Batman and IJ4) but i would certainly entertain playing a POTC when i can (heck i would even own one if the price was right).

How is IJ4 like JP? IJ4 doesn't even have a third flipper. And have a similarity to a good layout isn't a bad thing, IMO. LOTR is a lot like AFM, which is a lot like T2, and all are GREAT games! IJ4's problems lie in the really boring rules.

Of the ones listed, I'd rank them as POTC (a pretty decent game, IMO), TDK (with latest firmware), WOF, then IJ4 distant last. IJ4 is just a DOG.

Just in case you missed it, this is why I think TDK is a terrible game:  I've played the latest revesion extensivly and the game is so pointless.

Examples:

1)  The modes are all exactly the same!  There are 4 B-A-T-M-A-N modes lit via the left hand side batman targets, hit the targets, light the mode, shoot the right loop to start.  All well and good, problem is each mode is exactly identical in shot layout, the same shots each time for each mode, the only thing that changes is the animations and name of the mode.  There is no varation at all.

2) The crane, yes the crane is kinda cool, but again pointless, there is no risk vs reward with the crane, start the crane once and even if you drain the current ball you are on the crane will remain with the same hits as it was on before.  There is no risk to starting the crane, drain it starts you back right where you left off.  What's the point, it should at least have ended the crane mode if you drained between balls to make it more of a challenge to complete, now a 2 year old chimping on the flippers can complete the mode as they have 3 balls to do it.

3) Batmobile/SeSaw again pointless, it is kinda cool the first time you see it but again nothing changes, it's the same exact thing over and over again.  Allways a hurry up to the right loop.  The point value doesn't change, the shot doesn't change, the amount of shots needed to start the hurry up doesn't change.  

4) Main playfield Caracters for Wizard mode, there is no point to collect the characters on the playfield other then to advance toward wizard mode.  There is no reward, no acknolgment, just a light on the playfield.  Yes, Joker, Scarcow, and Batman require you complete something and actually achive something.  But all of the rest are pointless.  Harvey dent, a random number of hits int he pop bumpers, once completed all you get is the light, no mode, no reward nothing.  Rachel, a random target that can not be hit directly only while in the bumpers again once achived you receive nothing other then the light.  Alfred, hit the Alfred target once! Lucias Fox, collect the gadets on the POTD, yes at 2 gadets you get a extra ball, but the other 6 give you nothing.  Again pointless items that should have added something and do nothing but add usless boring padding.

5) Wizard mode, so you spend the monotous time getting all the usless items and finnaly get ready for the wizard mode, shoot the left orbit, hit the scoop, you are awarded 100 million, lights go out and you start again.  No fan fare, no wizard mode, nothing, 100 million and off you go to complete it again....WTF!??  

The game is an excersie in tedium, how long can you play it before you get bored and never play it again.  It will never last in a home collection because there is no point to the game.  I've seen EM's that have more to do then this POS.  


I haven't heard anyone say they liked IJ4, but I actually like IJ4 more then TDK, at least in IJ4 there is a point to aceiving the diffrent things around the playfield unlike TDK where there is no point to do anything other then Scarcrow, Joker and batmobile.  

I have not played any game for an extended time, but my impression is:

POTC - OK, not great.
WoF - I always play a game when there is one around, I like the unique layout. But I do not like it enough to buy one.
IJ4 and TDK are dogs, as Adam says: don't waste your money

I like WOF only for the fact it is different. That and the flashy wheel.

What I don't like is the huge gap under the flippers as I discovered all to well during the TOPL playoffs.

I thought POTC was pretty fun!  Great sound, too.

TDK is good too, but it'd be much better with the actual actors' voices, and perhaps a less buggy ruleset.  

IJ I find pretty boring.. and the DMD movies were way too long, and too frequent.  The Ark multi-ball was good fun though.

WOF, I've never played so I can't comment.

Quoted from jonny_eh

How is IJ4 like JP? IJ4 doesn't even have a third flipper. And have a similarity to a good layout isn't a bad thing, .

Sorry to give my opinion..  its the first thing i noticed when i played IJ4, VERY similar to JP in both layout and feel. Not saying its good or bad, its just how i seen it.

Quoted from Azatotht

Sorry to give my opinion..  its the first thing i noticed when i played IJ4, VERY similar to JP in both layout and feel. Not saying its good or bad, its just how i seen it.

Why apologize? It's called a discussion. I was just giving my own counter opinion. It's all in good fun.

I think most posts have hit the correct order.

POTC by far number one. I bought this game NIB and still enjoy it alot and the wizard mode is hard to achieve let alone Guantlet. Non players like it too as it's fun to hit the ship and see the heart beating and immediate rewards like sinking the ship but is challenging for a good player at the same time.

I spent alot of time at Starburst recently as I wanted to buy WOF on the sale price. I agree it has unique shots etc but just didn't do it for me due to the theme. I was still toying with the idea despite the software being seriously unfinished but with Keith quitting/let go from Stern there is no hope for him to finish the code I would assume even in his own time.

TBK I really enjoyed at first with the toys, art, playfield etc but I agree with Adam. I am not a very good player and I basically finished the game after playing it on/off for 3-4 hours. At that point, I had no interest to buy one for my home as I was already bored with it and that takes ALOT to happen to me, trust me!

IJ4 - nothing to say but BORING and UNINSPIRED. I actually thought it was almost the Harley Davidson game personally but bottom line is, no real redeeming features to buy it.

My $2.00 worth
ME

Interesting...I've played TDK a lot, and I love it.  Maybe it's because I'm not a deep rules guy at all, but I find it fun.  I like the graphics, and the playfield toys.  As a theme, I thought it pulled everything together nicely.  The dot animation is much better than IJ4.

I didn't like IJ4, but I think it was just the open design of the playfield.  It seemed like there wasn't enough to hit.

I don't like the WOF theme at all, but the bobblehead toys are cute.

I've only played POTC once, so I'm definitely not qualified to offer an opinion.

Thanks for responding guys, well I took the time to play hookie (sp?) & hit Starburst w/ all the info from the replies in mind, & have to agree, POTC.

Of course, to really get a feel for a game @ Starburst IMO u've got to bring ur own level, reset the hardness of the machine & clean the pf so the ball isn't so sloth-like - lol!

The reason I was asking is I wanted to put a pin @ the cottage again but don't need any service probs up there outside of waxing / cleaning etc. Got a TSPP & Shrek @ home, over time couldn't stand the constant hurry-ups of LOTR...

I need to play the game more but the lack of Depp & other voices would have been great just like the reviews always said @ ipdb, the sneeze-guard would have to go too....

The real shame is the big title games are really the big dogs, I mean if u get Pingame - look @ what Borg had planned w/ an upper pf w/ flips that became that enclosed captive ball area in IJ4... uuungghhhh......

I really thought TDK was going to be great when I played it w/ revision 2 software but I'd agree w/ Adam, monotony at it's best, w/ no hope of a wiz mode now being added... ever.

IJ4, another monster license, scoops way to easy to hit / fluke all the time, hit the ark, hit the ark, hit the ark, multiball, hit the ark, hit the ark ........

Then there's WoF & WPT, no wonder Starburst is blowing these out...

-Rod

I was wondering why SM (Spiderman) was not in the list of the dogs?    Does that mean SM is above POTC?  One day I'd love to own one of the SM, POTC, TSPP, FG/Shrek, LOTR - tough juggling act between reviews & theme though.

Quoted from Tuborg

I was wondering why SM (Spiderman) was not in the list of the dogs?    Does that mean SM is above POTC?

Big time! SM is no dog. Was surprised to see POTC in the "dog" list. It's a great game.

Duane

Just my opinion, outside of LOTR, TSPP & FG / Shrek I haven't really liked any of the Stern titles enough to play past a few games.

SM wasn't even a consideration for me in asking which was best as I was never a SM fan to begin w/ & reeeaallly didn't like the gameplay either....

I think when POTC was about to be released I bought into the hype & went to play as soon as Starburst set 1 up... I remember I was very dissapointed, but after playing the other week, I would agree the best out of those listed.... still can't get into even playing SM again....

-Rod

Just bought a SM and now along with LOTR I have two Sterns in the collection. I just shopped out LOTR, and upto now I am enjoying the gameplay. If it stays in the collection, time will tell.

I have always liked SM and when the opportunity to buy a HUO pin with 49 plays on it came, I bought it. But I understand not being a fan of the theme, because that is what TSPP does to me. Never liked the Simpsons and frankly I just do not get it. Thankfully there is so much selection we can all chose what we want.

Quoted from soltic

Just my opinion, outside of LOTR, TSPP & FG / Shrek I haven't really liked any of the Stern titles enough to play past a few games. ...

I think when POTC was about to be released I bought into the hype & went to play as soon as Starburst set 1 up... I remember I was very dissapointed, but after playing the other week, I would agree the best out of those listed.... still can't get into even playing SM again....

-Rod

Some titles you need to play them a bit to really appreciate them. POTC and Shrek have both been that way for me. I enjoyed POTC when it first game out, but thought it was a decent title. The more I played it, though, the more I came to appreciate it and the more I liked it.

With Shrek/Family Guy, again, I enjoyed them, but the more time I have put on it, the more I appreciate it. I absolutely love the game now. I play Shrek more than TSPP. I think TSPP is a better game, but it's so damn frustrating where Shrek is just plain fun.

Of course, if you aren't into the theme that might kill it for you. You mentioned SM. I LOVE that game. It's a great title. Would love to have one some day and might have to sell some Williams to get one. But if you don't like the theme, you probably won't like the game.

Duane

POTC is my favourite new STERN and I will own one sooner or later.\
IJ4 is a dog,don't like it.
WOF is not bad but still a dog,don't like the theme.
TDN is ok,I like playing it but I wouldn't own it.