# SDTM Episode 33: The Hobbit pinball machine review

**Source:** Straight Down the Middle  
**Type:** video  
**Published:** 2017-09-12  
**Duration:** 43m 1s  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDQr-baIs5g

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## Analysis

Zach and Greg from Straight Down the Middle provide an extensive review of Jersey Jack Pinball's The Hobbit machine, covering layout, playfield mechanics, 31-mode ruleset, art design, and overall gameplay experience. Despite initial mixed impressions on shot speed and layout, both reviewers ultimately rate the game highly (B+ and A- respectively), praising its aesthetic beauty, rule depth, thematic integration, and mechanical sophistication while debating whether it qualifies as an 'only pin' due to its slower, methodical wide-body gameplay.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] The Hobbit has 31 distinct modes integrated throughout the playfield using every part of the machine in different ways — _Zach explicitly states '31 modes to the game' and discusses how modes use different playfield mechanics; Greg confirms 'Keith Johnson does this in a way where you use every part of that play field in different ways on each frickin mode'_
- [HIGH] The Hobbit is the longest-playing pinball game Greg has ever played — _Greg directly states 'The Hobbit is made it is the longest playing game that I've ever I've ever played I can see that I don't know a longer playing pin'_
- [HIGH] The Hobbit's wide-body design plays more methodically and floaty compared to faster speed-demon games — _Both reviewers discuss the game's slow, floaty play style as a distinguishing characteristic; Greg prefers it but Zach sees it as a limitation: 'there's not a whole lot to shoot at' and 'the flippers aren't like if the flippers were more powerful'_
- [HIGH] The Hobbit has too many multiball sequences that cause games to extend excessively — _Zach states: 'this is one of the greatest pinball machines ever made and I'll always stay in bunny it's a multi balls on something shoot sodium's' and 'by the time you're at the tail in today you start another multi ball and then boom there's another multi ball that's what makes the games go on forever'_
- [HIGH] The Smaug dragon toy features articulated jaw movement beyond simple up-and-down motion — _Zach describes: 'first off it has a frickin talking dragon that's gold and beautiful and sculpted and engineered in a way that his jaw doesn't just go up and down it like moves man articulate'_

### Notable Quotes

> "The Hobbit is one of the most beautiful machines I've ever seen"
> — **Zach Minney**, ~10:30
> _Establishes aesthetic baseline for review; both reviewers agree on visual design quality_

> "it is one of the simplest game as I understand it is if you think it's complicated the rules on The Hobbit that just only tells me you haven't played it enough"
> — **Greg Bone**, ~29:00
> _Addresses common misconception about rule complexity; advocates for deeper learning curve acceptance_

> "I tell people I continue to tell people this is a for me is my own personal opinion this is a top five pin of all time it really is"
> — **Greg Bone**, ~50:00
> _Strong personal endorsement placing Hobbit in elite category despite reservations from co-host_

> "if I spent some more time with it in the home environment then I would grow to more love the shots and layout"
> — **Zach Minney**, ~35:00
> _Suggests Hobbit requires extended play to fully appreciate; indicates initial impressions may be misleading_

> "The Hobbit can kick your ass out of the most part it doesn't it is it needs to be an easier shooter because you have so many rules and such a journey to get through"
> — **Greg Bone**, ~54:00
> _Explains design philosophy: difficulty level intentionally moderate to support narrative journey without frustrating players_

> "Star Wars is a saga I want to go on a journey through Star Ferry you know that is want to go on a journey and you're speeding me through these damn hyper loops and I don't get to retain the story of the game"
> — **Zach Minney**, ~56:00
> _Direct comparison of theme execution between Hobbit and Star Wars; criticizes Star Wars design for prioritizing speed over narrative immersion_

> "you're using rail-to-rail but I still think wah still feels like a wide-body oh I feel like wide bundles but this I think waz feels brutal and narrow I feel like I'm claustrophobic when I'm playing there's so much [ __ ] in there"
> — **Zach Minney**, ~48:00
> _Contrasts Wizard of Oz (WOZ) playfield design with Hobbit's open spacing despite both being wide-body machines_

> "it's one of the beauty out yeah is it deep enough for me at home well it's that so he takes home and opens it up and he calls me that like a couple days later and he said you're such an [ __ ] man I spent 10 grand on this thing and it's not fun at all"
> — **Zach Minney (recounting Schmidty's experience)**, ~60:00
> _Illustrates barrier between initial enthusiasm and sustained home ownership; validates concern about game's acquisition cost vs. enjoyment_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Zach Minney | person | Co-host of Straight Down the Middle pinball review show; provides critical perspective on Hobbit's shot speed and layout |
| Greg Bone | person | Co-host of Straight Down the Middle; enthusiast for The Hobbit, rates it A-, advocates for it as top-5 all-time machine |
| Jersey Jack Pinball | company | Manufacturer of The Hobbit machine reviewed in episode |
| The Hobbit | game | Jersey Jack Pinball machine based on The Hobbit films; subject of full review covering layout, rules, art, toys, and overall quality |
| Keith Johnson | person | Rules designer credited for The Hobbit's 31-mode ruleset; praised for integrating every playfield element into different mode mechanics |
| Lord of the Rings | game | Stern Pinball machine; used as comparison point for theme execution and playfield design philosophy |
| Wizard of Oz | game | Jersey Jack Pinball machine; compared to Hobbit for wide-body design characteristics and playfield spacing |
| Star Wars | game | Stern Pinball machine; contrasted with Hobbit for design philosophy (speed vs. narrative journey) |
| Medieval Madness | game | Classic Williams machine referenced for comparison of pop-up goblin mechanics present on Hobbit |
| PIN Stadium | product | LED lighting upgrade system advertised at beginning of episode |
| Benedict Cumberbatch | person | Actor providing voice work for Smaug character on The Hobbit pinball machine |
| George Gomez | person | Stern pinball designer; briefly discussed in context of Lord of the Rings design |
| Straight Down the Middle | organization | Pinball review podcast/show hosted by Zach and Greg; this episode focuses on The Hobbit |
| Smithy | person | Personal acquaintance of reviewers; purchased Wizard of Oz after recommendation, reported dissatisfaction with home ownership experience |
| Popeye | game | Classic pinball machine; compared to Hobbit for wide-body gameplay feel |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Machine Layout & Playfield Design, Rules Depth & Complexity, Aesthetic Design & Artwork, Toy Mechanisms & Innovations, Game Speed & Difficulty Balance
- **Secondary:** Wide-Body vs Standard Body Design Philosophy, Home Ownership vs Location Play Experience, Thematic Integration & Narrative Design

### Sentiment

**Positive** (0.78) — Both reviewers express high regard for Hobbit despite acknowledging design limitations. Greg's enthusiasm (top-5 all-time) dominates; Zach's caution about speed/layout prevents perfect scores but he still rates B+. Overall tone appreciative with constructive criticism rather than dismissal. Comparison to Star Wars highlights relative design philosophy success.

### Signals

- **[industry_signal]** Hobbit positioned as one of most visually beautiful pinball machines ever created; art and RGB lighting synergy drives aspirational ownership even among skeptics (confidence: high) — Both rate Art A/A-; Zach: 'if I could afford the game I want it like I want to own it because I'd like the theme of it... just be so proud just to walk down and turn that son of a [ __ ] on'
- **[design_philosophy]** Star Wars pinball criticized for prioritizing hyperloop speed mechanics over narrative journey, contrasting unfavorably with Hobbit's intentional pacing philosophy (confidence: medium) — Zach: 'Star Wars is a saga I want to go on a journey... you're speeding me through these damn hyper loops and I don't get to retain the story of the game'; positioning Hobbit as superior thematic execution
- **[design_philosophy]** Hobbit deliberately designed with slower, methodical wide-body gameplay to support narrative journey and thematic immersion rather than speed-focused competition (confidence: high) — Greg: 'it needs to be an easier shooter because you have so many rules and such a journey to get through if it was an ass-kicker it wouldn't fit the theme'; comparison to Star Wars where speed undermines narrative
- **[design_philosophy]** 31-mode ruleset achieves goal of integrating every playfield element into distinct mechanical and strategic variations (confidence: high) — Greg: 'Keith Johnson does this in a way where you use every part of that play field in different ways on each frickin mode'; Zach confirms 'there's nothing bad about shooting this game'
- **[gameplay_signal]** Excessive multiball frequency causes game length to extend problematically; Zach identifies as only significant mechanical/design flaw despite praising other elements (confidence: high) — Zach: 'this is one of the greatest pinball machines ever made... but B+ because the multi balls are... if I could reduce that by 50% this would be a plus'
- **[competitive_signal]** Hobbit perceived as rule-complex initially but becomes intuitive with play; early ownership skepticism often resolves with extended home play (confidence: high) — Zach describes transformation: 'I randomly put more and more plays on it and it's more enjoyable'; Schmidty anecdote shows initial $10k dissatisfaction that reviewers indicate resolves with experience
- **[market_signal]** Hobbit positioned as home-collection aspirational machine despite high price point ($9,500-$10,000 range mentioned); beauty and uniqueness justify premium over gameplay speed (confidence: medium) — Extended discussion of cost justification; Schmidty purchase at ~$9,500-10K mentioned; reviewers discuss waiting for price adjustments or trading to afford ownership
- **[collector_signal]** Hobbit exhibits significant gap between initial impression (location play) and sustained home satisfaction; requires extended acclimation period to fully appreciate (confidence: high) — Zach's experience: initially lukewarm but grows after home plays; Schmidty's $10K dissatisfaction early-stage; both suggest extended play reveals depth skeptics initially miss

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## Transcript

the wait is over a revolution in the LED lighting for your pinball is finally here fully customizable full spectrum lighting from pin Stadium life order yours now at a stadium calm let's kick this [ __ ] [Music] howdy partners this is Zack and Greg from see I wasn't ready Sharon straight down the middle of pinball show know the old dude ranch here my [ __ ] I like it I like mine better we'll just say it's the boss that's right I'm Zack this is Greg from straight down the middle of pinball show we are reviewing a machine today Greg a machine that has lost the will to live that have just Greg's about seven beers in so that's why he's having trouble formulating a sentence and when I say beer I mean Zima but you guys know the same thing we're gonna review the hot Stila we're gonna review the Hobbit by Jersey Jack dead flat maybe giving PBR but I'm getting Stella Artois I start I bought a Stella once with a goal oh yeah I'm awesome let's talk about The Hobbit ring we would say about this game I don't think I could run a beer pong I would love to do a podcast would you really yeah okay The Hobbit so we're gonna review the Hobbit we're gonna go to this game really quick we're gonna talk about the layout I'm gonna tell you a little bit about the rules overview of the shots and then we're gonna come back Greg and I are going to rate this thing high low Greg loves a hobbit we'll see you okay guys I have the privilege of showing you the Hobbit I'm gonna teach you all about this thing - all right so let's first talk about the basic layout of The Hobbit The Hobbit is a wide-body pit as you guys can see here a lot of stuff to do let's go from left to right and I'm gonna show you all there is to know but the hobbits starting here inlanes outlanes the out lane actually has a kickback and that out lane is used for different modes to shoot it and you shoot that by use of this beautiful ring button alright that mods that flipping on pinball alright next little plug there so let's kick out keep back inlanes light your warg and your orcs here's your inlanes where we on him Goblin and spider the guy's a pop-up on the playfield here one and A two and A three four just like in medieval madness with those trolls alright again left to right we've got dropped targets you have three here they're down right now five here and if I can count correctly three over here the cool thing about these drop targets when they come down there's targets behind them and they each represent a dwarf that you have to collect going up the play field you have whatever one loves the spinner that's a left orbit and again this is a wide body so that little thing is buttery smooth and it takes forever to get all the way around to the other spinner over here okay now you guys can see behind this drop target right here there is a hole that hole gets kicked up through the buck onto the Habitrail safely to your left flipper you got smoke here the big boss man he turns whenever you're locking balls he'll talk to you and everything if you got the drugs here here's your ramp nice metal ramp with a captive all right in the middle each shot represents again a guy in the hobbit clan all right left ramp is responsible for changing the book which is the different modes on to the game we'll show you here in a minute 31 modes to the game this also adds time that left ramp the captive ball right there the right ramp let's how you block balls as well as start your modes and you'll see back here a very ingenious diverter right there during certain modes it closes off so that it's a quick Horseshoe orbit otherwise hit the right ramp and go up they come around look at this molded and that beautiful love it we come down here and around here and it can take two paths you can go to the left path and go back down into that kickback or can be diverted right to your left flipper surprise surprise Sam at the left ramp it wraps around past the book past the the barrels waves around through safely to your right flipper going back up here you have a target right there as well as the pop bumpers beautifully molded pop bumpers with switches back there you also have another hole here to hit into kicks it up the book to your right Habitrail alright some of the things to note back there let's see if I don't even know if I can get back here let's see back oh you see it magnet shot so when you're hitting in orbit it can hit that magnet stop it and then it will crawl down oh look at that alright so it's a hold back there alright so the magnet will catch the ball drop it into the hole and you'll add a ball during your next mode what else do you guys need to know about the hobbit the third flipper right here responsible for defeating Smaug those three targets represent him during Smaug multiball targets their [ __ ] Lane here what's really cool well there's a lot of really cool stuff so on these slings when the sling goes there's armor shoots out there tolls ask ok so when you're plugging the ball you have a couple options if for different two skill shots some of them being timing it perfectly so it goes over as many roll overs as you can you can hit a roving target over here is one of the different skill shot modes you can try to hit these which is probably the hardest skill shot or you can try to hit the inlanes for another skill shot you get to pick those skill shots though okay says we're looking over this let's see I'm trying to think if I missed anything such a pretty game alright so everybody always complains a Hobbit is too difficult to understand I'm gonna show you real quickly the rules of this game what started up that's right so here's our screen it's a super simple guys if you guys want to get through this game you know love those colors there's three mini wizard modes here into the fire barrel escape and Battle of five armies that's your goal you're trying to get to those things into the fire barrel escape and Battle of five armies here's how you do it to get to the first one into the fire you complete five sectors one two three four five when you defeat each area you get a little stone right there right there right there here's how you beat them speak you thank you you know this section you get them to smile multiball pretty self-explanatory you go over the rollovers it's a lock you lock balls up the right ramp three of them start a multiball boom that's done next one you see all these little hexagons in here I think they're ex-cons if they're not I'm sorry these are all 31 different modes start them out beat the mode boom get the stone alright this section here all you've got to do hit that spinner shop the more spinner shots you get as you hit them you will travel through these Shire all the way through the map you get to the end point boom you get a stone alright next section I'm changing stuff with my belly alright so all these dwarfs I don't know how many there are this is seven doors that's Snow White that's Snow White alright so 13 course that's fine so each dwarf is represented by the stand-up targets behind the drop targets 3 5 that's 8 9 10 11 alright 11 um I guess there might be a couple here so you hit all those stand up targets enough collect all them boom get a stone and last but not least all of the beasts so the beasts pop up of the playfield lorry here right huh right you know and right you know you hit those enough times guess what guys boom you get a stone get all the stones right there and then you'll have to hit this that hole there look how pretty that is pause for the woodwork there Oh pinball porn and then that scoop right there so you hit Thank You Gandalf you hit one of those holes and you will start where's it at into the fire and then if you do it again get all the stones again you start barrel escape all the stones again you get to battle the five armies again super simple any guys one two three four five get all five stones so start the wizard mode alright guys that is the beautiful hobbit [Music] that's a speaker welcome back so what'd you guys think about the Hobbit alright so the Hobbit let's talk about art Gregg we were at the same thing we're both the A's right yeah you were like oh it's photoshopped I'm like you know what I don't give a [ __ ] on this game mm-hmm it's beautiful it is the way that it's pieced together the color scheme mm-hmm it's one of the most beautiful machines I've ever seen smile right there in the middle even the side art I like this standard I like the Le I like the smile cabinet art of it all I love it at class what's there I love it all it's very beautiful I like the color schemes that's got Reds it's got blues and purples it's lighting and if we're talking art we're talking about the apron - they have that one-piece apron with Jersey Jack and that it's golds and different things it spits the theme really well when you walk up to that and you're talking about art first you see that light show that beautiful RGB light show and then what pulls you in is the art the art is along with that light show it is very very beautiful it's over just we're both at ease there's not much to really discuss is there can off subject aggressive dick can you imagine if Lord of the Rings was to be redone as a vault Wow but with the color I mean it's the color scheme it's the same yeah but it's a saturation just faded the saturation and you have a Mirko playfield oh my god can you imagine can we fix the right ramp it's still not bad I don't know what he [ __ ] about I still love you I still love you George George Gomez when you can get the tattoo yeah I'm gonna soon go miss for life Gomez for like a spa night I live that Gomez life gomez life that's what I said okay get it all right so we're both a days yes all right chick shots and lay out how does this thing shoot great shots at me it don't shoot bad but I had to go with a c-plus on mine yeah don't shoot bad but I'll go c-plus because it's just average like did the wide-body thing it shoots kind of slow Modi it's very slow yes the the flippers aren't like if the flippers were more powerful maybe I know you can turn about whatever you know what the hell is that but it's a fern the damn thing won't matter he's still just kind of slow there's not a whole lot to shoot at the two ramps right beside says it's me it's Nina innovation I don't think it's bad but it's just it's got a diverter in the back of the RAM yeah I mean the Mesa loop it's nice but it's not like it's just something so you're too c-plus yes sorry so go ahead to let you go into but there is a there I'm not dogging it too much because it is very whimsical it is very free-flowing because yes it feels very good it sort of fits that whole petite into a lifestyle it says over here and I float a ball over here and upload a bone to the shot feet look like Hobbit feet yeah you know what that means what doesn't know the hair the amount of hair on your feet there's a hobbit does that mean anything - oh but you know what I'm saying though it which is nice it's kind of refreshing it's kind of different than like I'm not opposed to it but it's just here to see plus you're kind of opposed to a shuttle layout for me as an a- a- easily it's one of the smoothest games and it's moving very smooth the orbit on the hobbit is the greatest orbit and pin with the smoothest butter east orbit and pinball the - I love and stern doesn't do this anymore the the two holes besides the orbits the gobble holes where I want to talk about them that has a subway I love shooting those things I like that your ball can be diverted in the back to go down a little gobble hole I love saying gobble gobble hole I really like the drop targets I think shooting drop targets this is a shooters game you guys The Hobbit is the quintessential shooter game really yeah it's not just drug targets there man you are there they're each driven on their own yeah and they're integrated into the rules and you hit especially the left a little gal behold it has drop targets in front of it and I love nothing more than hitting down a drop target and then access I think there needs to be more pin the shots everything's metal so if you get the theme you love that it has a diverter on the ramp that goes into the drain hole sits in the drain like it where a kickback view would be then you can measure it hit the ring button and then it shoots it up instead of using as a kickback it uses it and integrates all of that fantasticness aside you've got still something missing oh and you've got medieval madness with the goblins pop up you'll love them this you got four of them yes really love that I like it it's pretty cool pop bumpers hit great the ramps are fantastic and right in between the ramp like fish tails that captive bolt love that there's nothing bad about shooting this game and it's got to diverters on that left ramp that left ramp can divert it into smile into another little gobble hole Bobby loves this game love this game I love this game I'll talk about it whenever we do I can pause it but it's an a - easily I can't believe I didn't give an na but I'll stick with my a mine your loser rule well this review yeah rules Rianna rules buzzer Oh rule someone to be plus I did too I think it's it's a fairly beep game it's a a hold up hold up hold up I almost want like pause the video a fairly deep game what [ __ ] game is deeper than this it's deep okay it's dude it's not fairly deep in his deep that's deep okay thank you edit and somewhat easy to understand very easy to understand yeah it is one of the simplest game as I understand it is if you think it's complicated the rules on The Hobbit that just only tells me you haven't played it enough it is if I could write like yeah but that's the difference between easy and not easy is it's like it's a game that I know I if you give me two minutes I can tell you every damn rule to get through that game and you can check your progress at any point in time it is a simple simple that's not that's that simple game not a simple rule game it has multiple components that's easy to understand but it's understanding them as a whole they're on the freaking screen yeah but you don't look up at that screen I'm playing you do when you trap a ball I don't trap it okay maybe that's your response Nigel Oh rabbit I'm at constant five objectives to get to the mini wizard mode yes each objective is very sociable it's coated very nice subbed a mix by not in a - here's why not because there's too many multi balls the only there's not too many multi balls without a doubt yeah without a doubt ideal - RJ starts welcome to my world this that's the only issue I have at this entire game this is one of the greatest pinball machines ever made and I'll always stay in bunny it's a multi balls on something shoot sodium's know it no no no don't shoot slow if the chute slope jack up the back legs like it's supposed to be I hate that did too slow it's floaty it's a wide-body now buttery smooth not a big wide-body person I'm a big one set for my ladies I like and I'm not so much yeah I like I like the wide-body I like the shots in this game I just thank you but it's too many multi balls you're going to a multiball and by the time you're at the tail in today you start another multiball and then boom there's another multiball that's what makes the games go on forever oh yeah I agree yeah so multi balls if I could reduce that by 50% this would be a plus but B plus because the multi balls are you tired of them at least we're on greens yeah different we got there differently but no can agree in fairness and the rules hold up we cannot move on from these rules until we talk about one bear all 31 modes you guys and these modes aren't Star Trek Stern where I shoot the arrow shoot the arrow shoot the arrow for these rules 31 modes Keith P. Johnson does this in a way where you use every part of that play field in different ways on each frickin mode one of the modes you might be using to kickback to shoot a target one of the most you might have to hit a roving drop I do like their skill shots a lot I love this also what's great in the rules it's got a magnet in the back left orbit that if you hit that left orbit UK they catches it by the magnet puts it in the gobble hole and add you a ball during your next mode that's crown how many times you say gobble little goblin hole I will what else I could go on and on and on about the rules so nice toys and innovations now you want me to move pants rules yeah I love the rules toys an innovation that way hey would you go I wanna be alright I went hey why because first off it has a frickin talking dragon that's gold and beautiful and sculpted and engineered in a way that his jaw doesn't just go up and down it like moves man articulate a killer that's awesome [Music] has a big-ass 27-inch do anything of course it does it breathes freaking fire on to the playfield is that enough that is that enough that is plenty it's never enough multiball he blows fire in the RGB lighting goes red across the playfield it's sad ass other toys and innovation so it's got magnets where it diverts the ball into smog it's got a little book like The Hobbit has the book and it's time what to do for modes yes that's fantastic RGB is beautiful everything is sculpting buffers that are sculpted they look good probably the fray do no harm we've got diverters we got this thing so what you give it back and hmm easily a hmm it's got so many toys in this thing it is beautiful it'll be okay I mean I probably should give em all you just don't have that a big interactive toy yeah okay yeah that you're shooting it monsters popping out the damn play field for God's sake yes okay you stay at your beat you're just uh again roam all right music and call-outs oh I get that one A+ on that okay good for you there so that was higher than I gave it it's not thought of a spectacular man oh it pulls you in oh it does crisp that sounds so so did it as much as what Lord of the Rings brings you in I feel that this does it with Hobbit - it's more lighthearted the way the Hobbit is I think it's integrated very well with everything I know I've completely agree I think the music is really good it fits the motion pictures and I will tell you this I'm not in love with the game but if I could afford the game I want it like I want to own it because I'd like the theme of it I like that I like that integration I love the music I love the call-outs I love the look of it much of you and maybe that if I spent some more time with it in the home environment then I would grow to more love the shots and layout okay I think that's nice everyone on most of the call-outs are from smoke Benedict Cumberbatch freaking fantastic love some Benny come yeah you know his fans are come Cumberbitches are you come for [ __ ] yeah yeah so and then we've got like this this what's the wizard Gandalf his it's like a but it sounds really good Lord to Gandalf yes so I like that it's nice and all the visuals are very nice yes theme my friend theme same thing one day - I'm not I love Lord of the Ring you know it's a Hobbiton for me Lord of the Rings is an A+ in The Hobbit see and this is the theme is based on the movies yes it's probably blasphemy but I enjoyed both I enjoyed the Hobbit oh I very much do I enjoyed them yeah but it's very similar to me it's a little bit above like a Star Trek the newer movies because I like the Dragon theme I like Gandalf I like Frodo I like Bilbo but as a theme I can't give it an A+ Bilbo better than proto for me Ghostbusters an A+ theme oh yeah for me Goonies is an A+ Jurassic Park those are a-pluses I cannot give them the same designations I give the Hobbit because I think it's really good I can but it's not it's not a top-10 theme for me I can understand so a - I could have went b+ but I went yes I can understand you're in an a the only dig that goes I know I probably said one day - now you put it in perspective with ghostbusters well for the sake of our grades that I've already calculated you're staying at an a how about that all right Greg what did we miss because we rushed through them right we did rush there let's think about what we missed the spinners the spinners are awesome when we're talking about the rules I love the orbits - because there's two spinners and when you hit them it goes and you go through a map but it's one of the objectives you have to get to the end of the map and you do so by hitting those spinners and the faster you spin them the faster you go on that man I mean I'm still like and I don't know if it's just because like I'm still trying to wrap my head around a body at this game is not a because it's not a bowls to the wall fast and that's what I think it is because when you you you thought her game when it first came out I did apeshit over it you were crazy about it you told me nothing about it ever still a [ __ ] about him and Zanzibar was gonna get one and they had to wait a little bit wait a little bit and then they put it on the floor and I was so ecstatic about going over there and playing it got over there finally got the whole play it I was like freaking out yeah care much sport but I will say that I what I tell you to do I randomly put more and more plays on it and it's more enjoyable and that's what got me to the point of not in the same sense that's Wizard of Oz like I want to own a wise because it's so damn difficult to me that his name is Bruce it's my dollars that's why I went on that but I want to own this in a different way I want to own this just because I want to I want to delve a little deeper into it yeah like I want and it's just so beautiful like I just literally I think it's one of the most beautiful machines ever made and I would just be so proud just to walk down and turn that son of a [ __ ] on and just look at that's why it was hard for me to get rid of yeah like that's why I want to own one so I'm just hoping that they inch down a little bit more my budget goes a little bit more this way and then it will find its way into my house okay and maybe be a keeper okay I don't know like that that's what my toes I think it's but I think that's a lot of people I think it's that initial impression and a lot of people don't have the chance to put a a seven to nine thousand dollar game in their home so I think initial impressions of this game is a little lackluster well you spend that much money and you're like oh this is a journey yes like this isn't a this isn't a kick-ass game this is this floaty free-flowing kind of game but you know what surprises me out of you it doesn't out of me is a lot of there's one certain individual who really talents it it's playing like an e/m and I will agree with that I give it that but I like my things to say just bulls you hate me I like busienss are kind of that floating methodical feel there's one parent am I think that it kind of plays like a hymn I do like when I heard that like I would have never initially thought that but you know what it plays like a wide-body that's what a play oh it's different it is a fully open wide body it plays different in dread it plays different than popeye plays different no it is very similar to Popeye you think very similar to Popeye which might be why yeah I don't know man like I don't think the moment no wide-body demo man you guys are saying yeah it is I know it's a wide-body guys but hear me out Demoman is basically a standard body but they got a couple captive balls to the left that blocks the entire lane which makes it so same thing is wide-body but it shoots the same as a Wizard of Oz the same way it doesn't shoot like a wide-body because half of it is a damn forest and a kick-out Hobbit you're using rail-to-rail but I still think wah still feels like a wide-body oh I feel like wide bundles but this I think waz feels brutal and narrow I feel like I'm claustrophobic when I'm playing there's so much [ __ ] in there yeah but it's still just like there's I don't know I don't know why is this cluttered but there's space what otherwise about on indiana jones indiana jones' fans no I won't say that yeah because as well as gonna say good Danny Jones at times can have that exact same line Jones kind of cluttered so you can only compare sorry I think India is probably the closest I actually wish that Hobbit played like Indy because with Indy I feel that there is some of that very stuff but then at times there's just some zipping Spears it's an oddity it's it's a jokes is like a mix between the two how does a true wide bond it is it utilizes every space for ball paths instead of gimmicks and I hear stuff like that so you guys when we're talking about composite we composite all of the grades here you end up at a 3.43 which is a B+ I'm at a three point seven eight and a - I didn't see you I do tell people I continue to tell people this is a for me is my own personal opinion this is a top five pin of all time it really is I don't know if I go there I easily go there I said maybe it was jus fly' own the rules are great the theme is great it shoots awesome it's deep I mean it's everything I want in a pinball machine uh I think it's Nina now does that mean it can be my only pin know if I'm doing something like this it's the same as lord of the really why couldn't you have it as an only pin because I think that I would because I wanted a little speed demon - no I would like that but I think that I would be this is speculation just because of like I said I have higher hopes for it but I think that if it panned out the way that I feel that it would owning and you know I think that it could be an only pin and be satisfying no it's not set up to do pen loop in that's that's all I don't have a nice duo just because of speed and that speed and lack of like deep rules you can just jump on Tron you can't just jump so should I not worry about a third pin it should I sell my second pin and just go buy Hobbit I would always talk you into that but I don't think you would be happy with it really no I don't think you would be The Hobbit is made it is the longest playing game that I've ever I've ever played I can see that I don't know a longer playing pin I've had some vlog games and again I've got some long games with some very low scores that's a again well The Hobbit can kick your ass out of the most part it doesn't it is it needs to be an easier shooter because you have so many rules and such a journey to get through if it was an ass-kicker it wouldn't fit the theme no I that's kind of the issue I have with Star Wars because Star Wars is a saga I want to go on a journey through Star Ferry you know that is want to go on a journey and you're speeding me through these damn hyper loops and I don't get to retain the story of the game it was other than the speeders and there's talk about your ad space obviously you got on your own dinner planet you've gotta go we gotta be able to move fast but the actual the actual movie them so that's not it's not just a speedy it's a log you're learning from you're you're doing a lot of even lightsaber battles are beautiful and graceful there no it's not this just yeah it's not a bunch of real fast cutscenes or now something like agree with now something like Iron Man that's not a deep movie it's a metallic as it is right yeah it fits it fits Hobbit is supposed to be even the music of Hobbit like music you play like you don't want things flying out at you with a slow very mellow score yeah very very good point very good point Star Wars I will have to agree with that one I appreciate that buddy so The Hobbit again is a masterpiece i opening wizard mashing the hobbit is a masterpiece dare I say dare I say I don't want to ruin our waz but it is a much better pin in the laws and until I get my hands on Donald in for an extended period of time the long-running borrow his wise no you're gonna you're gonna take the heaviest pin ever made and drag it down those Thomas he was in the living room that is that is living room worthy I wonder if I could trade him for something yeah just for swap because I want to play it dude's got all the pink I'm care I know cuz he got a swapping fast what are you gonna swap him war a walking dead he hates that game lost world he like lost world no hobbits his favorite if you ask Schmidt's one of our buddies he's on pen side his Schmidty ask him what his favorite pinball machine ever made will tell you and this is a guy that was pissed because I talked him into spending ninety five hundred dollars but one was another likes literally moments okay I'm gonna get this pin we were down a Nashville playing sound great playing at an arcade we're back up and I said hey Schmidty he's one of the woz right I said you know you know you're gonna buy walls and you can't buy that right now cuz they're not in stock Larry up at flipping out Scotty yeah it's got a limited edition up there and he was like is it good like well it's one of my favorite pens ever made and he was like is it pretty it's one of the beauty out yeah is it deep enough for me at home well it's that so he takes home and opens it up and he calls me that like a couple days later and he said you're such an [ __ ] man I spent 10 grand on this thing and it's not fun at all and I said dude just I said I can't understand what's going let's see see and you're right this whole easy to figure out see it's it takes a little bit of time it shouldn't but it does it does no it's just no no no no it shouldn't because the type of people who say it's confusing are the type of people who don't take directions there's a some [ __ ] on the freeway that's like maybe you hear that oh that Smitty yes that's fine I take direction very well no I'm married I have to now if I walked you up to the Hobbit I'm telling you give me a minute you don't you show me dumb we were in z-bar plant and would you start loving it oh yeah helped me out a lot but anyway to me so anyway just ten thousand he hates this damn thing and he was like any my was and he my washi buys a ruby red from Larry flippin hell and he falls in love with that thing but if you ask him now he says how laws doesn't get paid very much and there is he'll tell you and he's not a very articulate guy he like you don't talk a lot yeah he'll tell you there's nothing like the hobbit experience there's something I love that story when you called me Smitty is that yeah that's cool all right so pros and cons of this game cons it is a wide-body for those who don't like white dice it is a pro for people like me who like wide-body like a lot it's cons just money not that you're not getting no I think it's a pro now oh well now because it is it falling I'm saying if you're buying a brand-new one I'm not gonna talk yet a buying a brand-new one because some people just like open and break ice over spent on a brain Neutron yeah but no i decent lee i will never get my money out of it again you might but the price everr about 9,500 for an le when they came out when there's you know new boxer le they're dropping man are you seeing like pop up for 6500 to 7000 now what I will say about this being a pro is at $6,500 this is a bang for your buck oh I cannot find a more pinball machine in 6500 on the news mark it is yeah it's it's the same equivalent of the sadness of Popeye being a two thousand dollar and the shadow being a 3500 a library it is crazy yeah those pins belong in every collection for damn good reason 160 500 that is a joke so you're trying to think about how can get is a joke my cell kidney I'm gonna I'm gonna own one again I've owned one a couple times but it's cool all right what else do we need to talk about you guys haven't played The Hobbit get out there and it's worth experiencing man hopefully firstly you'll somebody just run the rules by you it is very simple just listen to them it's now what permit is so easy to understand to run the rules for you you have to have that on everyone just don't go I think it's giving a freak out I mean it's not it's not is it try to kill Smaug during that multiball I've never thought it's super hard balls are fun all right what are you doing I don't know what we're doing next month we're gonna be at Chicago Expo yeah yeah we're gonna be at Nashville grand old game room Expo yes say hello to his hair no bye t-shirt from us we'd really appreciate it because they how we help support equipment in different innings we're on Twitch we are on twist subscribe to us on twitter follow us on twitter of coffee on friday mornings with your main man greg here's big Chuck work the rules aficionado yes you want you want d Chucky dubs coming on that's deep yeah he will get deep into some game of gems he's not a Star Wars he is the code master he is very good he is he knows multipliers that's what we look for like we have tried with twitch to diversify yeah some people you've got two boneheads yeah yeah you've got a newbie but but again get it it's a diversified like we are a show that we feel that is we're just for the home enthusiast we're for the pinball people cover all our bases yeah there's a lot of people out there like I said you know we we would like to do some competition I think but that's just not our thing it's just not what either one of us do right now my brain don't think that yeah I don't either I can't learn I don't want to think about learn all that well yeah exactly the strategy and everything else to achieve that but we love all those guys I like watching them them Oh call me I've learned a lot from from Boeing I've learned a time I watch every competition that is recorded i watch all the time stuff but we are we are we we kind of want to diversify and everything's like you said like exacts a little more stickler for different things I'm just kind of I speaks the truth you're just a good old guy okay this lost bananers on Tuesday nights he's our newbie he's the new guy who is learning everything and if you guys have seen him on pin side he goes through a pin a week and have problems with machines everything we got Chuck who Chuck is like you said he's a rules master yeah and Chuck really thinks about the game and he loves it he'll tell you man there's nothing like jumping on a pinball machine and thinking 12-step says yeah he's more than imagine guys so on twitch we're trying to diversify and we're trying to bring you something different so that if you just want a little taste of everything watch all of us if there's something that you're a little more into then then then something else you want to see guy or isn't into Hanson drinkin Zima check out every Friday more hands in the morning Laidback stream all right thanks again to our sponsors flipping out pinball Larry's Penn graphics our main man is new machines ping graphics for all your art decal blades and pin stadium lights for all of your over-the-top lighting actually brighten up machine is put in code SDTM to receive 10% off of your order at Penn State unless stadium lights so messages talk to us so what do you guys want to see what what do you not like seeing even stroker egos a little bit and tell me that I'm usually right an hour Vincent this guy usually is dim-witted well hate my operation I do keep blood lots of eight I had to list be honest I don't get a lot of yeah but but people doggone me a little yeah you deserve it though alright guys thanks again for checking out the video we love you guys you are the best your your support more appreciated than you'll ever know that is true very much that's very true so until next week this is straight down the middle of pinball show with Greg and Zak peace out [Music] go love you all right having everybody go we got hurry means that time frame you gotta go we can't go hello daddy is a butthole take so mean to me oh I'm getting into the vaping so hopefully I'll be coming in here soon do you know there's literally unregulated of what is in that like they there's literally no regulation to what is in that juice if it's just yeah I know boots no it's not I am cancer welcome to your body [Music] wait for me into your body I figured cancer would have a voice like hey guys me a heck of a surprise like a yeah yeah now wow what you don't understand is I'm [ __ ] scared to death of it to [ __ ] live every goddamn day but joke about it I [ __ ] me go insane alright let's get back into this one more fun alright we can't use those and I'll take either

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 61ccea51-1417-469b-a9a5-77738ffa167b*