The Pinball Show Ep 161 BONUS: What I Like, What I Don't: Jersey Jack's Avatar

Pinball Show Patreon Feed·podcast_episode·12m 1s·analyzed·Sep 30, 2024

Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.022

TL;DR

Detailed Avatar JJP review: stunning visuals/sound, weak mechs and lower playfield

Summary

A detailed personal review of Jersey Jack Pinball's Avatar: The Battle for Pandora covering gameplay mechanics, design choices, and overall impressions. The host praises the game's visual design, artwork, UV lighting, sound design, and specific shot mechanics, but criticizes the lack of major interactive toys/mechs, overcomplicated menus, unsatisfying shot patterns, and underutilized lower playfield design.

Key Claims

Avatar lacks major interactive toys and mechs compared to games like Uncanny X-Men
high confidence · Host discussing Avatar's playfield design, comparing unfavorably to Uncanny X-Men
Keith P. Johnson lowered multiball amounts in Avatar and made multiballs more fun compared to his recent work
high confidence · Host crediting code designer Keith P. Johnson for multiball improvements
The sound designer on Avatar significantly improved Jersey Jack's historically weak sound design reputation
high confidence · Host praising the sound designer's work as a major asset to the game
Avatar's call-outs feature Stephen Lang custom recordings but they are excessive and lecture-like
high confidence · Host discussing call-out quality and frequency issues
The lower playfield on Avatar feels gimmicky and doesn't add meaningful gameplay value
high confidence · Host comparing lower playfield to Munsters and other games, stating it feels like wasted design space
Avatar's upper flipper (Hobbit flipper) has minimal use but hosts two favorite shots
high confidence · Host describing flipper placement and its shot utility
The far right targets on Avatar feel uninspired and undersized due to lower playfield window constraints
high confidence · Host criticizing target placement and available playfield real estate
Avatar's rules are overly complicated, particularly the Hallelujah map lighting requirements
medium confidence · Host admits confusion about rule depth and mentions needing to learn rules further

Notable Quotes

“Whenever you want to be the top notch, you know, highest quality, most wow factor brand, company and product, you'll never be there unless you have the coolest mechs.”
Host @ early-mid section — Core design philosophy criticism: toys/mechs are essential to premium pinball identity
“They freaky fridayed that too. The sound designer said hold my guitar what an asset this guy is”
Host @ mid section — Praise for breakthrough in Jersey Jack's sound design, positioning sound designer as key talent
“Avatar's so close to having it all... What are we missing? Well, we're still missing toys and mechs. We're still missing a theme that's stronger”
Host @ mid section — Summarizes the gap between Avatar's visual/audio strengths and mechanical weaknesses
“it's like akin to like whenever you hit that Katana shot in Deadpool for the first time you're like oh I just sliced through butter with a warm knife it was that kind of feeling”
Host @ mid-late section — Describes the 'whirlygig shot' as a standout mechanical moment, using Deadpool comparison
“95% of the times upper and lower playfields are just kind of a waste of time because they don't feel good”
Host @ late section — Broader critique of lower playfield design trend in modern pinball
“Spending your dollars on something visually appealing is one thing, but at the end of the day, if it doesn't interact with you as part of the story and it doesn't feel good, I think you need to focus elsewhere.”
Host @ late section — Design philosophy: visual appeal must serve gameplay and narrative
“I'm a film geek too, so I love that stuff. So yeah, I'll probably own the CE.”
Host @ conclusion — Despite criticisms, host plans to buy Collector's Edition due to immersive theming
“the call-outs that they do currently have are a bit excessive... they're lecturing you the whole time. I got it shoot everything.”

Entities

Jersey Jack PinballcompanyAvatar: The Battle for PandoragameKeith P. JohnsonpersonJean-Paul DeWinpersonStephen Langperson Uncanny X-Mengame Deadpoolgame The Hobbitgame

Signals

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gameplay_signal: Host identifies specific satisfying shots (whirlygig/orbit, upper flipper shots) but criticizes unsatisfying shots and muddled playfield design in certain areas (far left ramp, far right targets)
high · Detailed descriptions of individual shot mechanics and playfield geometry issues
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design_philosophy: Host argues that premium pinball requires major interactive toys/mechs; Avatar's lack thereof is critical weakness despite visual excellence
high · Extended discussion of toys/mechs as differentiator for top-tier manufacturers
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product_concern: Lower playfield criticized as gimmicky, underutilized, and not meaningfully integrated into gameplay or story; described as wasteful design investment
high · Multiple comparisons to other games; host describes lower playfield as 'passive' and lacking payoff
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design_innovation: Avatar praised for breakthrough UV artwork and visual design work by Jean-Paul DeWin; described as setting new standard for visual presentation
high · Host credits visuals as repositioning Jersey Jack brand perception; compares favorably to competitors
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design_innovation: Sound designer credited with dramatically improving Jersey Jack's historically weak sound reputation; music and effects described as 'exhilarating' and addressing prior criticism
high · Host uses 'freaky Friday' metaphor; describes sound designer as major asset Jersey Jack should retain

Topics

Playfield toy and mech designprimaryLower playfield utility and designprimaryVisual design and artwork (UV lighting, art style)primarySound design and musicprimaryShot satisfaction and playfield layoutprimaryRule complexity and code designsecondaryCall-out quality and voice actingsecondaryImmersive theming and storytellingsecondary

Sentiment

mixed(0.55)— Host appreciates visual, audio, and specific shot design elements but expresses significant frustration with toy/mech limitations, playfield layout issues, and rule complexity. Concludes positively on ownership intent despite criticisms, indicating overall appeal outweighs concerns.

Transcript

groq_whisper · $0.036

Warning the following episode contains adult language and screaming goats. Listener discretion is advised. Thanks again for the ongoing support as a Pinball Show Club member. Enjoy this exclusive TPS content and make sure to visit the Pinball Show Club Discord to chat about the bonus material. It's now time to do our own little deep dive here on the Pinball Show. In a segment we're calling What I Like, What I Don't about Jersey Jack Pinball's Avatar the Battle for Pandora. Okay guys, I got my hands on this. Now, I haven't had an extensive amount of plays. I'll preface this whole discussion with that. However, I've had plenty of plays. I've had enough plays. I get this game. You know, I understand pinball. I'm going to be straight up with you and tell you what I like, what I don't. Now, what could change is additional likes and dislikes, but my likes and my dislikes, as of right now, this is where I stand on my likes and my dislikes. But What I like about Avatar the Battle for Pantora oddly enough the theme but I'm not even gonna count that as a like because I am in the minority there probably but as I talked about it on the on the regular show just the overall look the the art and UV we talked about that it stands out so much on this game that it made me perceive the entire company on a different level again just in respect to the goods looking at it feeling it Pinball Special, the artworkspecial, I'm as big a sucker for UV as I am magnets in pinball. But something I don't like as much? We talked about it on the show, like, there's just no major toys or mechs in this game. Sell, sell, sell! That's what was somewhat surprising to me when I'd seen the game, I knew the game. And then I seen the public's response being overwhelmingly great. And I wouldn't, I mean, I'm not surprised at that, what I'm surprised at was when people This is Hribendts Nightian. We do expect a 33% tin of Ir gibi a' disp widgets concerning the admitted pinballЬôle,oot to and of course call me nice next to la pippa commerce interactivity in some SA or completely 65163 or from meetimeXXXXX terminos sendo but by the labichyns and Franco Люб reins义 uh uh again ever budget created make up a leave fitx Nick countblemix of the document It man I'm not even gonna say mech suit flicky. No. I'm not even counting that. The floating mountains look great. The Banshee looks great. They're not interactive. And I'm not saying they're not toys. They very much are toys. I just expect more. Whenever you want to be the top notch, you know, highest quality, most wow factor brand, company and product, you'll, you'll never be there unless you have the coolest mechs. And in my opinion, the toys and mechs in X-Men Pan make avatar look Barron. Gone are the days of Stern didn't put anything in their games. There's a spinning house on Jersey Jack games. They just did a freaky Friday up in this motherfucker. So, yeah, that's something I really don't like. But what I do like is the music and the sound effects of this game. And the visuals all of that yumminess. Sound is often a category of question for for Jersey Jack games people are like oh sounds like a slotmachine no no well well this time they freaky fridayed that too Stemage said hold my guitar what an asset this guy is and uh hopefully Jersey Jack can lock him in for all kinds of stuff because he sounds like he understands sound so the the music is exhilarating the the sound effects the immersion that all of that brings and then you lump that into the visuals of what Jean-Paul de Win like y'all Man, Avatar's so close to having it all. Well, no it's not. I can't say that because I was gonna say it's so close like they give us the lighting that can't be matched. Now they're giving us visual and UI that can't be matched. Now they're gonna dabble into just superior sound and music and effects. What are we missing? Well, we're still missing toys and mechs. We're still missing a theme that's stronger and I'll add to it one thing I don't like on this game, the callouts. The They sold this thing is like Stephen Stephen Lang right custom call outs They just don't have enough of those and what's worse is the call outs that they do currently have are a bit excessive They have call outs general call outs from the Navi people female and a male Navi and they're instructing you right there instructing Hit the left ramp hit the right ramp Dive all that stuff, but it almost feels like they're lecturing you the whole time. I got it shoot everything For hours of Overwatch in Interwall there is a few notes in there. Maybe you have one that you've heard. At least at least for now you know a few of those notes that you had heard throughout the podcast. Maybe you haven't heard before. Maybe you haven't heard before. But in your mind that you already have what you hate and yet are fighting on and whether you want to change on top of it to change Avatar But what I do like really well what I do like is I'm gonna tell you my favorite shot in the whole game. A couple shots are just very clever. They're butter. I love them. But I don't even know what it's called. It's got a formal name. I'm just gonna call it the whirly shot where upper flipper you hit it on the it's like an inside orbit but it goes up a ramp the scram and then whirls around the banshee and then comes all the way back to the right flip oh that feels and looks so good it's like akin to like whenever you hit that katana shot in Deadpool for the first time you're like oh I just sliced through butter with a warm knife it was that kind of feeling and avatars got a couple of those shots really like oh I also like the The upper right flipper I thought from a design standpoint whenever I first seen it overhead I thought is that the Hobbit flipper? That's really gonna have minimal use and I would argue that it still has some minimal use but it's got two of my favorite shots in the whole game which is the whirligiggy shot and across the playfield of shot it's a repeatable loop not the cleanest feeling loop but nonetheless a loop. The upper left portion of the playfield we're gonna so Those are the things I like. Conversely, what I don't like about Avatar is within those shots, there are a handful of shots that are just plain not satisfying. Sell, sell, sell! There's just, and that's going to happen because there's so much going on, so many shots on this game. When you have six flippers, you're going to have a lot of shots. And when you have six flippers, a lot of your shot patterns are going to cross where shots become accessible, but they shouldn't be. You follow me listener? So that's what you get for Avatar and it can fit design wise it can feel a little muddled when you do that and this game does it at times. Some of the portions of the upper left of this design feel a little muddled. The far left ramp I would have probably had to go back to the drawing board there that far left ramp that feeds the upper left flipper. I don't, I just don't like it. I really don't like it. It's a risky shot, which I'm fine with, but there's no feeling of satisfaction there, just given the elevation and the geometry of that shot. And there's really no payoff either once you get it up there because it's a controlled wire form to an upper left. You don't even have an option of going around the orbit. I just don't like it. It's probably my least favorite shot in the whole game. The far right targets, four standing up targets there, they're over the lower playfield window, feel very uninspired. I know you probably can't give me drops there because you have an under playfield that's taking up the room. I don't know what you give me there, but you gotta pull that playfield down, that lower playfield down a little bit and give me more room up there. Because that a main shot area just based on the geometry of the left flipper and the right side of the game You gotta give me more there And then just overall the lower playfields as as I talked about earlier listener I just they gimmicky I guess they work for non pinball people because they intriguing How do I get down there and stuff but 95% of the times upper and lower playfields are just kind of a waste of time because they don't feel good This one this one doesn't not feel good because it it feels good with the whole crabby thing Smiley Winnde편 It's not like Stewie's pinball, Munsters, Grandpa's lap off. But you got a couple of targets and you're gonna orbit. The upper lower playfield, I know that sounds weird, but the pop bumper, it's like a passive lower playfield on the upper portion, it's fine. I just, they don't do anything for me. And at times I feel like I'm, as a pinball player, trying to get through the story, wizard modes, feel good shots. I think I just don't need them. I'd rather that bomb be used on something else, I guess what I'm saying is you gotta be careful where you spend your dollars. Spending your dollars on something visually appealing is one thing, but at the end of the day, if it doesn't interact with you as part of the story and it doesn't feel good, I think you need to focus elsewhere. So needless to say, this game is a stunner. I can't wait to have it in my game room. It's Avatar. I like this theme. I'm very likely a plan to own the CE just because it looks crazy. It's gorgeous. And it's anytime I can be immersed in a pinball machine that has a movie element to it or theming choreography. Look at the Hobbit, not the best shooter in the world, but still one of the games that I respect the most because of its immersion. And I'm a film geek too, so I love that stuff. So yeah, I'll probably own the CE, Jack Danger, Uncanny X-Men, X-Men alike, X-Men is probably never gonna pull me into the immersion that I get when I play avatar, so for different reasons, I'll own them. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is What I Like, What I Don't on Jersey Jack Pinball's Avatar the Battle for Pandora. I'll keep you updated as I learn the rules because we didn't talk about that in the main thing but those rules Keith P. Johnson thank you for lowering the multiball amounts and stuff like that and the multiballs are actually fun this time around compared to some other games that Keith has done recently but to hit the rules I so damn lost I don't know what's going on you got to hit so many things to to light the hallelujah map and that's not a bad thing these are going into homes it's going Timing and Subtitles by the Amara.org community