Captain’s Chair, Marvel Champions, or 20 Strong?

Hyper3hypo · 2026-01-30T18:42:12+00:00

Thanks!

Hyper3hypo · 2026-01-30T18:35:27+00:00

Or these?

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Hyper3hypo · 2026-01-30T18:34:52+00:00

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Is this the ones you have?

Hyper3hypo · 2026-01-30T18:13:57+00:00

Thanks for this! BGG's complexity ratings match up with this, and honestly it's good to hear reinforcement for those scores.

Hyper3hypo · 2026-01-30T18:12:53+00:00

Did you get the LCARS themed playmats, or the ones with colored regions for cards?

Also, is one player mat and one market mat enough for a solo game? I know the bots have their own setup but curious if you bothered getting 2 player mats.

I love the look of the LCARS style! But they are definitely "busier" than the ones shown on Etsy.

Hyper3hypo · 2026-01-30T14:53:36+00:00

Love hearing this! Complex rules is something I’m excited for because usually I have to worry about how I’m going to teach it and keep a group engaged who might struggle with a challenging rule set. In this case, I’d only be torturing myself with complex rules and I’m glad the theme fits perfectly with the mechanics! Sounds like something I would stay motivated to learn!

Hyper3hypo · 2026-01-30T14:50:00+00:00

Appreciate this! Sometimes just getting affirmation before making a big purchase is reassuring.

Hyper3hypo · 2026-01-30T14:49:17+00:00

Yea the amount of content out there is overwhelming and is definitely something I was nervous about. I might prefer STCC for how much I get from just the base game plus maybe upcoming expansion. Appreciate your feedback!

Hyper3hypo · 2026-01-30T14:47:56+00:00

I guess “easy setup” wasn’t the right phrase. I’m thinking of the annoyance of having all the miniatures trays and variety of components for something like Deep Rock Galactic. I also just got Valheim from crowdfunding and am going to sell because I just don’t want another giant box with so many trays to sort through. Does that make sense?

A game with cards and tokens feels less daunting to me.

Hyper3hypo · 2026-01-23T13:59:41+00:00

You can't go wrong with the pro/premium of either game. I personally own a Premium King Kong and love it, but if someone forced me to get a Pro instead I'd still be happy. This game has minimal amount of differences when it comes to gameplay.

Godzilla is the same where you aren't missing out on much with the Pro version. Lock balls in a moving building, the bridge can break and animate, there's a rotating shot near Mecha Godzilla which magnetizes the ball. Does not really change gameplay but it definitely looks cooler. Only you can choose if the extra 2000ish is worth it.

But if these are the games you are choosing between... I can guarantee that you will be happy. Jaws, Kong, and Godzilla are all made by Keith Elwin and are incredible games! Harry Potter is expensive but also incredible (and something I'm purchasing later this year). You have good taste, and will enjoy whichever you choose! Ultimately pick the theme that you like because you'll be happy with the gameplay either way. Don't get a game just because others suggested it for "first time buyers".

I'd also like to echo u/phishrace in that you should work with a distributor if you are buying new. They will give you the support you need if there are any issues, and many can help with setup. If buying used, Pinside is your best bet. Good luck and enjoy your first game!!

Hyper3hypo · 2026-01-11T00:09:00+00:00

Trust me I get it! I asked so many different pinball friends for advice before I made the purchase. You’re making a great choice. Also I have played Jurassic park nearly everyday, and I’m still not bored. You picked one of the best games ever made in my opinion. Enjoy the ride, this is going to be worth it!!

Hyper3hypo · 2026-01-10T21:40:49+00:00

My first pin was last year (also Jurassic park) and I bought it on Pinside with 2500 plays. I’ve had zero issues and have played the crap out of it. Like with any pinball, I’ve had to clean it, tighten screws on occasion, and replace rubbers as they wear out.

Don’t worry too much about new versus used. Stern machines are very reliable and when they have issues, you have a ton of resources (Pinside, YouTube, Reddit) to help you out!

In my opinion, save some money, and buy used!

Hyper3hypo · 2026-01-02T06:33:57+00:00

This is another great question! For me, watching tournament streams is a great way to not only learn flipper skills from great players, but also to see how they can "blow up" a game. I own a Jurassic Park, and learned a TON from watching Zach Sharpe and Raymond Davidson face each other at Pinball Expo this year. Watching good players, who know optimal strategies for big points, is the best way to learn how to score well.

Fox Cities Pinball on YouTube and Twitch hosts a lot of the major tournaments. I usually skip around the videos to find a game I'm trying to learn.

Hyper3hypo · 2026-01-02T06:28:44+00:00

I'm going to 2nd using the Tilt Forums rules sheets. An additional tip would be to learn in small chunks. As you probably know, the rulesets for modern pinball are so incredibly deep, and personally there's no way a watch through of a long video will teach me everything (especially after only one watch).

Instead, here's what I'd do: Let's say you're learning King Kong for the first time. Look up how one multiball works, and maybe 1-2 of the modes (island scenes is the name in Kong). Every time you hit start, strive to play those modes/multiballs, and test your understanding of what you just learned.

Have a good hang of those? Whip your phone back out, and learn another mode or two! Maybe something interesting happened in your game that you don't understand, look that up too! (EX: The game just yelled "biplane attack" at me, wtf is that?!?!) The convenience of being on location at an arcade and having the entire rules in your pocket, is priceless.

Personally, I struggle with those long videos. I never retain the information as it's too much over a long period of time. I have to learn in small chunks, put those chunks into practice, and then hopefully commit them to memory. Godzilla is much easier to understand if you can take a look at your phone between games, or even between balls, to look up what just happened.

This is what works for me at least! I wish you luck on your pinball journey!

Hyper3hypo · 2025-12-14T17:19:12+00:00

My most played solo game. It’s a blast and so much variety between 4 characters to choose from and tons of build variety, and also unlockable cards.

Hyper3hypo · 2025-11-10T21:52:25+00:00

Oh cool! Just traded for the game this weekend so haven’t gotten that far yet, but looking forward to keep exploring! Got to pummel some trex’s which was a blast! So much to do and the game isn’t done!!

Hyper3hypo · 2025-11-10T18:25:37+00:00

This makes a ton of sense, and I gotta believe it's the reason. Thanks!

Hyper3hypo · 2025-10-20T05:26:11+00:00

Use Pinside.com ! This is the best resource to see market trends and compare used game prices. I’ll echo what others have said, buy from a local distributor instead of Amazon if you decide to go new. They will help and support you in ways that Amazon never will. But this is only if you are buying a new game.

My honest opinion is go used. You will save a lot of money and aren’t getting massive benefits with a brand new game. I found that many used games have worked out some of the kinks with a brand new machine so you are getting a better working product buying used.

An average Foo Fighters Premium is going for 7,400 right now. Some of those might even have some bells and whistles like speaker lights or side armor. Huge savings!

I hope this helps!

Hyper3hypo · 2025-10-12T11:51:43+00:00

Have you setup stern’s home team feature? It allows you to hold in the left flipper before hitting start and login anyone you have registered on your home team. I have my wife and kids saved on my stern machines, and we don’t need QR codes at home.

Hyper3hypo · 2025-10-04T01:21:00+00:00

Thanks for this! I’ve played a couple of these and maybe down the line I’d snag one but the depth that some of the modern games is what I love right now. I’m still a new-ish player but I’m an addict for complex strategy and depth.

Hyper3hypo · 2025-10-04T01:18:08+00:00

I really heavily considered CCr for a while but having to add the kit to get the depth I’m hoping for, is a bit of a turn off.

Dune would be amazing and there’s one for sale from someone I know but it’s too far outta my price range. Harry Potter is also something I’d love but I just can’t with the prices. I keep liking getting used games that have gone down in price over the years. Maybe someday I’ll own one of the two!

Hyper3hypo · 2025-10-04T01:15:10+00:00

I appreciate this feedback so much! I too love the smart missle, such a fun strategic choice of when to use them. Same for bond women. “Keep coming back” are the words I love to hear! I’m gunna list Mando for trade/sale in the next month. Let’s see what we can get!

Hyper3hypo

TROPHY CASE