First Takes: Guns N’ Roses Pinball by Jersey Jack Pinball

Reviewer 4

Best theme intergation yet for JJP or possibly the pinball industry as a whole. Being able to work closely with the band and having an almost all access to everything applicable to license shows that this game wasn't held back.

Some of the high notes (no pun intended), are the light show, music, and visual elements. These elements were hit spot on by Eric and Slash.

Really there aren't really any low notes I can think of besides the big world map in the middle. But the map is also theme integration as well.

Playfield looks fun but won't know a 100% until I get my hands on it.

Overall this game has shown what a pinball machine can be at the top of it's game and arguably could set a new standard of what a pinball machine should be.

Reviewer 114

Everything looks awesome but the light show seems overpowering and distracting. I realize I may be in the minority as the light show is a major aspect of the game, but it seems painful and distracts from the other terrific details of the pin.

Reviewer 163

Looks like a winner, though the decision about the standard vs LE is unfortunate. The same decision was made for AC/DC and Aerosmith, so it may just be true for all band-themed machines.

Reviewer 189

First: the game is awesome in every way thinkable and theme integration is exceptionally well done. The only thing that has me raising my eyebrows is the rules. It appears that you'll be in a multiball mode without breaking a sweat. That makes multiball way too easy, resulting it not being special to achieve. Personally, I felt the pity multiball on Sega games was bad, but this is probably worse.

Aside the Buffalo Pinball live stream, PinballStar also had a livestream of the game being setup at Pinball Garage. https://www.facebook.com/pinballgarage/videos/760961764463062. After the game was setup, the guy played two games, the first starting around the 21:00 mark. After a short first ball and a houseball he gets into multiball on ball 3 and littarly says, "I'm already in multiball. I don't think I did anything to achieve that." After his last ball on game 2, "Did I finally finish this game?" Those are not good signs. Blackwater 100 already proved that all the time multiball is a bad concept. 21 songs where each song is a multiball + various other multiball modes seems to be multiball overkill. Adding balls during multiball also seems way too easy, or happening too frequently. Hopefully these 'issues' will be addressed in code updates. Other than the above: absolute killer game!

Reviewer 99

After watching multiple streams of the game I decided to cancel my order for GnR. I was very excited about getting the title as it would be my first JJP game, and I thought it would do well at my location which also doubles as a music venue. Initially JJP's own website said the 6-ball lock was included on the SE model of the game which is what initially caused me to place my deposit down. JJP launching a game closer to Stern pro pricing was a huge win, but then when seeing just how much was removed from the game it became a disappointment. Still wanting to support them and very specifically Eric, as the designer because I think these new era designers are incredibly important to the future of pinball, I decided to spend the extra money and order the LE. Now after having watched streams from Helicon Brewery, What the Flip, and the official premiere on Buffalo Pinball I have to admit I'm incredibly disappointed in the look of how the game plays. It was almost non stop multiball and it seemed to bring back the problem of early JJP games where from a viewer aspect at least everything seems to be flashing at once. I hope the rules are tweaked and that the game is a blast to play. I look forward to trying it on location in the future, but at this time I'm not excited to play the game, and I won't be doing any traveling to seek it out. If a time comes that I see it at a location or a show I'll gladly press the start button and allow my mind to be changed.

Reviewer 166

Extremely impressed at overall execution. JJP has redefined the rock pin.

Reviewer 65

This game has really impressed me! I thought how much more can pinball have added to it that seem doesn't seem like a gimmick or something bolted on for the sake of claiming an industry first. The introduction of Hot Rails, and seeing them implemented was amazing.

Eric Meunier has out done himself with his second game! What the entire team has put together is one of the most theme integrated games I have seen! Having a licensor that is passionate about the product has really made a difference. I really like the wire forms looking like bass strings or the drum sticks being implemented as a ramp!! There was a lot of creativity that went into this design.

Keefer and team, as always, has provided a deep rule set that will give players from all backgrounds enjoyment!

GnR has gone beyond my expectations! This is innovation done right! Congrats to all involved!

Reviewer 200

There looks like a lot of positives to GNR. The immersive concert experience looks to be amazing with lights, concert video, and great music and sound. That alone is a huge accomplishment and will make this game a great seller. All of the extra touches that JJP adds really shines in GNR. I do have some concerns about how it plays though. It seems that while you are not in a song that it can be very stop and go with little flow, but once in a multiball things look to get fast a furious. A ton of multiballs could mean that things will stay fast paced, yet I don't know if I will get multiball exhaustion. I definitely want to play GNR before I express any more concerns but I have no desire at this point to own it.

Reviewer 12

Finally JJP's Guns N' Roses game has arrived! Designer Eric Meunier's highly anticipated sophomore effort has landed upon the pinball world like a nuclear blast (and is almost as bright!)

From the preliminary promos and playthrough videos it is obvious that every aspect of this game has been methodically well thought out in nearly every detail. This is a game truly made by Guns N' Roses fans for Guns N' Roses fans. Not since Al's Garage Band goes on a World Tour has there been an attempt to re-create the experience of a rock concert within a pinball machine. Thankfully this pin is seems to have substantially better results! The outstanding thematic integration from the mechs, the lighting, the music, call-outs and the LCD display animations all make for an incredibly cohesive package.

At game launch it appears to already have a very robust ruleset with an emphasis on prolonging gameplay through multiballs and many add-a-ball opportunities which allow the player to enjoy the song modes for a substantial amount of time. My only concern is how viable this game would be on location with apparently longer ball times and how it would be used in tournament setting with high level competitive players. The frequency of risk-reward decisions in gameplay will offer many strategic choices up to the player depending on their skill and play style.

The ramps, orbit and loop shot placement appear geometrically intuitive and most shots will return the ball to the flipper efficiently and expediently.

As fast and flowing as the shots appear to be, there seemed to be a significant amount of stop-and-go play mechanics focused on the centre scoop and guitar headstock lock being so integral to progression through the game.

The lightshow choreography looks face-meltingly extreme which I'm sure must be seen in person to be fully experienced. I only hope they have a low-light intensity option that can be adjusted for players with light sensitivity issues.

I appreciate that the game comes shipped with family friendly settings, but can easily be changed to "adult mode".

I can't comment much on the quality of the sound, suffice it to say I am thankful they chose to use the album versions of the songs and not the live versions from the tour.

Notwithstanding the skull shooter-housing sculpture and the backbox topper, the LE is the most attractive looking version of the three offerings in my opinion.

The Standard Edition although I'm sure still plays well, seems stripped out incredibly bare in comparison and the cabinet and backbox artwork has garish colours and gruesome cartoon "roadster" illustrations that appear really out of place.

This game seems to have enough exciting features readily accessible to satisfy a novice player, but also that incredible layered depth of gameplay we have come to expect from a Jersey Jack game.

To put it mildly, this game is gonna rock the pinball world!

Reviewer 165

Design is Eric's sophomoric attempt and it did not disappoint, looks like another home run following POTC, even though I am not personally a fan of center scoops and hope that isn't an annoying shot. Artwork is best ever on a JJP game. Jean-Paul does it again in the animations, they look incredible. Biggest question mark is the code. It is crazy to question Keith Johnson, the master of comprehensive rulesets, but the game looks to play differently than any other modern game. Toys/Mechs are a slight letdown given Eric's ambition on POTC, gotta be tough finding the right balance between BOM/reliability and toys/mechs. Lastly, the light show on this game looks to be the best EVER on any pinball machine. Well done JJP.

Reviewer 198

Stunning! Eric set the bar for the years to come. This game HAS to inspire all the other makers to dream bigger.