Jurassic Park Pinball Review - Stern 2019

Pinball Pursuit·video·8m 18s·analyzed·Jan 11, 2025

Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.019

TL;DR

Pinball Pursuit reviews Jurassic Park (Stern 2019) as a standout modern machine, rating 22/25.

Summary

Pinball Pursuit hosts Mrs. J and Dr. C review Stern's 2019 Jurassic Park pinball machine, rating it 22/25 across five categories (theme, look, sound, feel, play). They praise the game's creative design, innovative mechanics, and thematic integration, noting it ranks #2 on Pinside's Top 100 list and was their entry point into home pinball ownership. Minor criticisms include logo color accuracy, some voice acting quality, and the game's high difficulty.

Key Claims

Jurassic Park holds the number two spot on Pinside's Top 100 list as of the recording
high confidence · Mrs. J states this as a current fact about Pinside rankings
Keith Elwin designed Jurassic Park; he previously created Iron Maiden
high confidence · Mrs. J identifies Elwin as the legendary designer with prior Iron Maiden success
Rick Nagel was the lead programmer who crafted layered objectives and modes
high confidence · Mrs. J directly attributes programming to Nagel
Jonathan Bergeron handled the art direction for Jurassic Park
high confidence · Mrs. J credits Bergeron as the artist bringing dinosaurs to life
Mrs. J played over 750 games on Jurassic Park during their rental period and never reached Wizard mode
high confidence · Mrs. J explicitly states this gameplay statistic in the 'play' section of the review
Stern included sound effects directly from the Jurassic Park movie franchise, including the iconic T-Rex roar
high confidence · Mrs. J states this as part of the sound design praise
Wayne Knight (Newman from Seinfeld) provided voice lines for the game
high confidence · Both hosts reference Wayne Knight's involvement and his Seinfeld character connection

Notable Quotes

“Jurassic Park is a game that roars with creativity, and is widely regarded as one of the best pinball machines of the modern era.”
Mrs. J@ 1:02 — Establishes the game's critical reputation and frames it as a standout modern design
“Stern didn't just slap the movie logo on this machine. They created a narrative where you're tasked with rescuing park staff, capturing dinosaurs and escaping the chaos.”
Mrs. J@ 2:23 — Highlights the depth of thematic integration beyond surface-level licensing
“I love the T-Rex ramp. It's so much fun, especially on the Premium Edition game. I love that mechanical T-Rex head.”
Dr. C@ 6:03 — Specific praise for a standout mechanical toy that enhances gameplay and theme
“I put just over 750 games into this machine while we had it, and I still have never reached the Wizard mode.”
Mrs. J@ 7:19 — Demonstrates the game's high difficulty and depth—a challenge even for dedicated players
“Well, folks, whether you're a fan of the movies, a pinball collector, or just love an exciting game, this is a must-play machine.”
Mrs. J@ 7:57 — Final recommendation positioning Jurassic Park as essential across multiple audience segments
“If we were to buy our first machine today, it would probably be Jurassic Park.”
Dr. C@ 7:47 — Strong endorsement for home ownership, especially for newcomers to the hobby

Entities

Jurassic Parkgame Keith ElwinpersonRick NagelpersonJonathan BergeronpersonStern PinballcompanyPinsideorganizationMrs. JpersonDr. Cperson

Signals

?
community_signal: Game successfully appeals across multiple audience segments (casual fans, hardcore collectors, skill-based players)
high · Mrs. J states 'The theme is an across-the-board crowd-pleaser' and nephew became 'obsessed with the dinosaurs'
?
competitive_signal: Jurassic Park ranks #2 on Pinside's Top 100 as of review date, establishing it as a top-tier competitive and collector's machine
high · Mrs. J states 'as of this recording, it holds the number two spot on Pinside's Top 100 list'
?
design_philosophy: Jurassic Park logo colors incorrect on back glass; O-shot (right orbit) is too tight and difficult to hit despite being important throughout gameplay
medium · Mrs. J identifies logo color inaccuracy as bothersome; describes O-shot as 'such a tight shot' and 'kind of important' but 'so hard to hit'
?
announcement: Stern's Jurassic Park (2019) represents high-quality thematic IP integration with innovative mechanical toys and layered rule depth
high · Game explicitly praised for integration of T-Rex chomper, raptor pen mechanism, snagger truck toy, tower shot, and stacking modes tied to narrative
?
product_concern: Samuel L. Jackson sound-alike voice acting criticized as not great; uncertainty about Chris Pratt impression; wish for new Wayne Knight dialogue
medium · Mrs. J notes voice quality issues and that Wayne Knight's lines came from the movie rather than being newly recorded for the game

Topics

Game design and mechanicsprimaryThematic integration and IP licensingprimaryArtwork and visual designprimarySound design and voice actingprimaryHome pinball ownership and entry pointssecondaryGame difficulty and skill progressionsecondaryCommunity rankings and perceptionmentioned

Sentiment

positive(0.88)— Reviewers are enthusiastic and highly complementary throughout, with only minor nitpicks. The 22/25 overall score and repeated statements about recommending the machine reflect strong approval. Criticisms are presented as 'a few notes' and acknowledged as sometimes nitpicky, rather than fundamental issues.

Transcript

youtube_groq_whisper · $0.025

Welcome to Jurassic Park. Welcome to Pinball Pursuit. I'm Mrs. J. And I'm Dr. C. Today we're diving into the prehistoric chaos of Stern's Jurassic Park pinball machine, released in 2019. This was the first pinball machine we had in our home. Now, we didn't buy it. We just rented it for a few months because we weren't sure if this whole pinball phase was going to stick. Spoiler, if you hadn't guessed it already, it stuck, and now we've turned to YouTube to tell you all about it. Jurassic Park is a game that roars with creativity, and is widely regarded as one of the best pinball machines of the modern era. In fact, as of this recording, it holds the number two spot on Pinside's Top 100 list. For those who don't know, Pinside is the largest online forum for the hobby of pinball. There's a lot of stuff on there. We're going to let you know our thoughts on Jurassic Park Pinball, but first, a few facts about the game. This game was designed by the legendary Keith Elwin, who already had a stellar reputation for creating a challenging, innovative layout with his Iron Maiden machine. The lead programmer, Rick Nagel, crafted a deeply immersive experience with layered objectives and exciting modes. Our duties were handled by Jonathan Bergeron, who brought Dinosaurs in Chaos to life with incredible detail. We'll break up our review into five categories, each with a five-point score. These categories will be the theme the look the sound the feel and the play Make sure to let us know your thoughts down below as we go through the review First up the theme Right out of the gate because you know there the famous gate scene Anyway right out of the gate, Jurassic Park nails the theme. From the moment you press start, you're dropped into a chaotic park teeming with dinosaurs. Sturgeon just slapped the movie logo on this machine. They created a narrative where you're tasked with rescuing park staff, capturing dinosaurs and escaping the chaos. The interactive toys, like the T-Rex head that chomps and throws the ball. T-Rex? Mm-hmm. You said you've got a T-Rex? Uh-huh. Say again? We have a T-Rex. And the raptor pen mechanism are standout features that tie the theme directly to the gameplay. The modes follow logical storylines, like battling the Indominus Rex or facing off against velociraptors. Our nephew came over and became obsessed with the dinosaurs. The theme is an across-the-board crowd-pleaser. It's near-perfect integration, but I do have a few notes. I miss some of the iconic movie characters like Dr. Grant or Ian Malcolm. I mean, we get Nedry, and that's great, but having Jeff Goldblum announce the Chaos Multiball would have been incredible. Stern went for a unique take, and for us, it mostly works. So for the theme, we are giving Jurassic Park a 4.5 out of 5. Next up is the look of the machine. Jonathan Bergeron's art package is stunning. The back glass of the Pro and Premium shows a chaotic dinosaur scene. My only issue? The Jurassic Park logo isn't the right colors. Alright, Dr. C, that's a little nitpicky. I know, but it bothers me. Regardless, the playfield is vibrant, with each section clearly representing different areas of the park. and the playfield's inserts and lighting effects do a great job of highlighting where you need to shoot. My favorite thing about the look has to be the animations. Well at least while I watch Dr C play because I can watch it while I trying to stay alive I love the T event animations and how the game shows Park staff being squished or attacked just off screen And the way they used Newman was awesome. His name is Wayne Knight. Newman was his character on Seinfeld. Hello Newman. Oh, tomato, tomato. It's fun how they used that. Plus, let's not forget light shows for all of the events. So fun, especially for the Raptor multiball. As you can tell, we like the look of this machine a lot, which means it's getting another 4.5 out of 5 from us. Now let's talk about the sound of the machine. The sound design in Jurassic Park is phenomenal. From the roaring dinosaurs to the intense musical score, it keeps you on the edge of your seat. The voice call-outs guide you through the game's objective without feeling intrusive. I can't tell you how many times we found ourselves saying, Why would Nedry do this? The music builds tension as you progress through modes. And come on, who doesn't love John Williams' classic Jurassic Park theme? Stern even included sound effects directly from the movie franchise, like that iconic T-Rex roar. With all that said, we do have a couple of issues with the sound of the machine. The Samuel L. Jackson sound-alike wasn't great, and I think one of the call-up voices was supposed to sound like Chris Pratt, but we aren't totally sure. And while hearing Newman... His name is Wayne Knight. Newman's lines from the movie were great, but we wish he could have recorded some new dialogue for the game. All in all, the sound gets a 4 out of 5 from us. The feel of Jurassic Park is where it really gets good. Keith Elwin is known for his flowing, high-speed layouts, and Jurassic Park is no exception. The shots feel smooth, with ramps and orbits that flow seamlessly. The flipper responsiveness and overall mechanics make this game satisfying for players of all skill levels. Stern's build quality really shines through here, with solid-feeling components and well-designed toys. I love the T-Rex ramp. It's so much fun, especially on the premium game. I love that mechanical T head The tower shot from the third flipper is hard to learn but oh so satisfying when you hit it I love the amber target hiding in the middle of the pop bumpers and the Newton truck toy that dictates where you go is so cool. If I had to complain about something, it's that darn O-shot. The right orbit is such a tight shot, and it's kind of important throughout the game. It's just so hard to hit. But that's really about it. Could we really give the feel of this machine anything less than a 4.5 out of 5? And last but not least, the play of the game. This is where Jurassic Park truly shines. The game is packed with modes, multi-balls, and objectives that keep you coming back. From rescuing staff members to battling dinosaurs, each mode feels unique. The game has both breadth and depth. Casual players can enjoy the immediate action, while the more seasoned players can dive into the strategic aspects of stacking modes and multi-balls. The team did such a good job at telling a story and creating modes that strike the perfect balance between being easy to understand and challenging to complete. And they are all tied into the theme so well. My only complaint? It is such a hard game. I put just over 750 games into this machine while we had it, and I still have never reached the wizard mode. Despite that, we've got to give this one another 4.5 out of 5. Alright, let's look at the scorecard, shall we? Wow, we gave this one 22 out of 25, Dr. C. Clever girl. Well, I mean, it makes sense. I really, really like this machine. I mean, I think we both agree, if we were to buy our first machine today, it would probably be Jurassic Park. I think you're right. Jurassic Park has to be one of my favorite machines we've ever played. Well, folks, whether you're a fan of the movies, a pinball collector, or just love an exciting game, this is a must play machine. What do you think? What did we get wrong? What did we get right? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. And as always, don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit that little bell for more Pinball Pursuit. Until next time. Keep flipping.