Hobbit arrives at Playdium Store

[SuperPinball]

For those of you interested in the Hobbit, Playdium store (Starburst) has one on display for you to check out. I got to play one today and it seems to be a pretty easy open playfield style game. The openness of the playfield has 4 troll like pop up bash toys that periodically pop up. Either the ball times seem long or I was having a good game but got 5th spot with little effort. The animations were very impressive but sometimes felt like a bit of a distraction. It doesn't seem as feature rich as WOZ but some may like the theme and the shots better. It definitely flows better than WOZ and if it had more ramps would be similar to a Steve Ritchie layout. I personally like WOZ better which is also set up right beside it for comparison. Play them both, you be the judge. Just don't knock me off the leaderboard too quickly.

 

[mwong168]

Thanks for the heads up Mike and will try to swing by later this week during lunch to check it out.

 

[Chris Bardon]

Good to know-I'll have to go check it out. Wonder when the preorder games are coming in? Seems like actual people are starting to get their games now.

 

[Hitch9]

I played it on Friday. There are three things wrong with it that need tweaking. The left outside (drain) lane switch wire is too strong and high, and sometimes a ball hangs up on it. One of the rollover switches in the middle of the playfield won't register. (I think "O") and something else I can't remember. I told Adam about it, but they may not be fixed yet. Still, had a good couple of games. I think the code is rudimentary at this stage.

 

[SuperPinball]

I also noticed a strange "EM" sound coming from the drop targets. like an old EM's flipper when you are cradling a ball with a strange rattle as well. Maybe something is loose.

 

[luch]

I played it and got the ball stuck under the troll as it lowered , ball search would not release the ball , it put another in play but left the ball under the troll with the lid half sticking up .

 

[John Jones]

Went today to have a look at the Hobbit...
Loved the look but the machine was shut down due to the stuck ball and the machine wouldn't start the game and pop a ball out.
I was a bit disappointed considering I drove a bit to see it and try playing it and was unable to start a game.
Its one of the "bet looking" machines I have seen and liked the large LCD back glass area and the small LCD book.
Not sure I will get another shot at trying to play this game but I hope to have a crack at it again someday.

John

 

[BOO]

I also noticed a strange "EM" sound coming from the drop targets. like an old EM's flipper when you are cradling a ball with a strange rattle as well. Maybe something is loose.

As explained to me by Jack when I was playing this pin in Pittsburgh last year, the sound you heard was of the drop targets resetting. They are very heavy and make a loud ratcheting-type noise each time they reset, He said they were trying to come up with a way to dampen the noise but apparently they haven't. It is kind of annoying but pinball mechanics do tend to make a fair amount of noise but we get used to it and just keep playing anyway, right?

 

[Jeff K.]

Played the Hobbit today at the Playdium Store- was really hoping this game was better than many of the medicre reviews I had heard.
I was a bit surprised how loud the drop target reset was. I thought the mechanism was possibly defective. Hopefully Jack can dampen the sound a bit.
Personally, I found the game slow and 'floaty'. It's a beautiful looking pin and has that pretty awesome LCD. Perhaps code can improve this table- time will only tell.

 

[FastEd]

Had chance to play Hobbit yesterday at Playdium Store yesterday (played it back to back with the GoT, just for comparison).

The Hobbit is truly a beautiful machine to look at, the RGB lights, sound, the LCD. It does look special.

The playfield at first glance does look bare. There are definitely times where the ball feels floaty, especially going sideways on the playfield.

I found it annoying how the ball sometimes change directions as it hits the pop up (plates).

Once I started to play it a bit more, I started to get it. The more I understood, the more fun the game got. The pop ups had a purpose and it was a surprise and challenge to change the angle of your shots to hit the pop-ups. The element of surprise was nice. I'm sure as the code gets better, the game will be even better.

GoT is a totally different game altogether. A lot of fun as well, and fast! The shot back after hitting the dragon is super fast. I don't know what game I would choose if I could only buy one "prestige" machine. I might lean towards Hobbit...

 

[Chris Bardon]

Have we got any more idea as to when games will be hitting starburst for preorders? It sounds like people are starting to get their games on pinside, but still not word from the locals. It'd be great to know what the production numbers are like-if nothing else that might give us an idea of when we might see games up here.

 

[mwong168]

 

[mwong168]

More recent game play video

 

[dnewman]

I have to echo the points about the mechanical noise emitted by this game... I played it at Allentown last year, and at ReplayFX, but I guess there was much more ambient noise than at the Playdium Store...

The game at the Playdium store sounds like set of plastic gears has lost a couple of teeth!

 

[mwong168]

 

[SuperPinball]

They pulled the Hobbit off the showroom floor due to not having the CSA sticker on it. They assured me that it was a precaution and that no pinball players were harmed while playing the Hobbit.

 

[MultiHack3D]

The one thing I just dont get about Hobbit is, the top right flipper... its pointless.

I wish it had a special shot to make of any type.
They should have added something... anything. Maybe im missing something.

It feels built like a tank, Ill give it that. I wanna spend more time on it.

 

[Chris Bardon]

There are a couple of modes where you need to use the upper flipper to hit the DWARF bank, or the standups behind them. It definitely plays into Smaug multiball, and Flashback.

 

[MultiHack3D]

I will go check it out again... hopefully spend a bit of time with it.

It felt like a solid well made game.. maybe its cause its a WB it felt substantial/heavy ... but whatever it was it was nice.

 

[Menace]

Hobbit needs to have the pitch jacked up and then increase the flipper strength a tad and the game is a totally different player. Unfortunately the floor model at Playdium plays like a wet noodle.

D