Overall an outstanding execution on an underwhelming theme. I enjoyed my time with the game and its spectacle but it did not hold up very long. The first month as I was chasing scores I was very engaged. The game has the very best audio components of any pinball machine I've ever heard. However after the sparkle and shine wore off I did not want to push the start button one more time. I haven't played it in over a month and that is why it went on the chopping block. The idea of collecting shoes and hats isn't my thing. Same as patches with G N' R. Definitely the best JJP shooting game so far but all the glitz, wardrobe, city touring stuff got old fast. Playing Dialed In with Spotify blasting Elton John would be more ideal if you actually wanted to listen to Elton John which I don't and its for that reason sharks, I'm out! I am hopeful for upcoming games from Jersey Jack with this execution but with that hope, I'd prefer almost any of the rumored themes compared to this theme and that's why I jumped ship before the water got too deep.

Elton John Platinum Edition, 4/30/24
--OK, so I knew after hearing all the good reviews for EJ and the flippers that I was going to have to get one at some point. I’m a HUGE Elton John FAN, reminds me of the good times in my childhood. These days $12k is an astronomical amount of dough, so I planned to get my Pulp Fiction Bad Mother Flipper and play it for 6 months, then trade up for an EJ. I dragged myself to my local pinball club to play it because I just couldn’t stand it anymore, AND I sold my ultimate modded Godzilla Premium for the 5th time LOL…sometimes I like to sell a pin for extra cash for projects knowing full well I’m just going to have to buy it back a few months later.
--Well, I played EJ, and I SAW EJ, and I HEARD EJ. WOW. What a gorgeous pin! But looks and light show only go so far with me. I own pins right now that I despise the theme and animations like Iron Maiden Premium, BUT, it’s a phenomenal shooter…so I’ve NEVER sold it or traded it. I just keep modding it to my liking, making it more Egyptian Eddie and less scary Eddies. My point is that theme isn’t the MOST important thing to me. How it shoots and the shots and the tactical feel of the pin if KING, then the audio package (Cleland Deadpool with an external sub comes to mind…STILL my favorite pin of all time.) Then lighting, then art. I’ve owned pins that were GORGEOUS that I loved to just look at and mod, but if the shots aren’t spectacular, it will only last a few months in my small lineup.
--SO…I freakin LOVE the audio package on EJ. I LOVE the music, but MORE than that, the sound effects are amazing. I wish it had more call outs from Elton himself instead of the English chick, but she does work with the package. LOVE LIES BLEEDING during special multiball is an especially NICE touch, and VERY exciting. I LOVE the Dodger Stadium art and Elton, the piano, etc. I’ve watched that 1975 concert footage more times than I care to admit, my parents and aunts and uncles were at that show, and even some friends. That WAS the defining moment for EJ in America.
--The shots? Well, they are Steve Ritchie shots and they just feel good. Once in a while you get a GREAT feeling combo. Multiballs feel exceptionally good, the Crocodile Rock multiball is an easier one and I am grateful I can get there easily if I want to, the others really feel like you’ve earned them, AND, they are exceptionally EXCITING!
--The ART, wow, just wow. The sparkle Radcals are something else. The animations are so cute and campy. Concert footage is ok/good if you’re a fan. The backglass is good, wish the PE had mirrored backglass or an option to upgrade. Mirrored backglass just ads that little something really special.
--Not that crazy about the topper, BUT, it’s nice that it has one. I will see how I feel about this pin in a few months. The CE topper is just over the top, LOVE the Dodger Elton on the playfield, if I don’t want to trade or sell this thing in 6 months, I’m already making plans to upgrade to a CE.
--I traded a Godzilla Pro back when you simply couldn’t even get one for a Deadpool pro with lots of mods and Cleland sound package. The guy said he literally would NOT make the deal unless I promised to have a Polk 10” sub ready to plug in from minute 1. From the moment I turned that pin on and pressed START, it was ON…It was just ON!!! I did have to sell it reluctantly AFTER I bought a Deadpool Premium. I loved the way that PRO shot too though. If I had enough money and real estate, I would have both! Well maybe. The disco modes are pretty amazing on the Premium and the loop return.
--Anyway, I’m a Stern Girl through and through, BUT, I’m pretty crazy about Elton John after 24 hours with it at home. Like I said, after I played it on location, I knew, I just knew I had to have one at home. I have a pretty good relationship with a few local pinball guys, and I actually wanted to just rent it first and my guys agreed, BUT, they were actually throwing a special Elton John Pinball Party so it would have to wait a month. I had to keep running over there to play it in the meantime…and it was getting a little beat up on location, and I was like, naw…this thing is just TOO pretty and shoots TOO good. I need a NIB.
--The track list is pretty GREAT for FANS anyway. Classic tracks, a few obscure ones that I particularly love, a lot of the favorites are there, it would have been really over the top if Hold Me Closer with Brittany Spears was on it too! Maybe in a future code release??? BUT not likely. That would have really tied the whole musical journey together for me personally. Or maybe you can unlock Daniel, Harmony, All the Young Girls Love Alice??? Man that would just be over the top. Monster Bash was a pin that I absolutely just felt like the theme resonated with me, I liked the shots and the light show on the remake, I LOVED the punk rock monster music, man I LOVE that pin….BUT, NOT ENOUGH to keep in my collection and want to play it enough to justify the cost. I had an LE remake and that thing is just a dream come true…but, I sold it so I could cycle more pins through the doors. I NEVER woke up any morning and thought, ‘I should sell Deadpool.’ NOT ONCE. I wish I could wake up and want to sell Iron Maiden, but nope…still NOT YET. Just NOT done playing it yet.
--Elton John just has it all. The art, the lights, the shots, the feel good flippers…still not quite the feel of a King STERN pin, BUT, it’s so very pretty, it’s so very exciting to play, the audio package is just…AMAZING, out of the box. I did have to spend some time today working with the EQ, AMAZING that it HAS an EQ and I CAN adjust it the way I WANT! The speakers sound pretty damned good.
--The extras on this pin are an especially NICE touch. The sparkle powder coated silver rails and lockdown bar and legs. WOW. The tactile feel is NICE. I don’t like the feel of chrome rails and lockdown bar. I have always appreciated STERN for the black textured lockdown and rails. BUT THIS, well it feels just fine and it looks great. I like to mod, so I’m ordering some plastic protectors, I changed the flipper rubbers before the first game, I prefer Baron balls. The shooter knob could probably use an upgrade. I like the powder coated shooter knob plate. Nice touch. Art blades. Superior sound. WOW. Of course a JJP screen is just amazing.
---This pin is just exciting to play too. Like I said, the shots feel good, not the best shots in pinball, but they are flowy, the audio and light show make it all super exciting. I like the intuitive nature of the code, not overly complicated, but I still need to watch a YouTube video to really understand…but until I do that, I am happy and can play it without issue.
---It’s a home run for me, BUT, I am an EJ fan. I haven’t felt this way about a pin since I got that Deadpool Pro. We will just have to wait and see. I didn’t know who the Hell Deadpool was, so I had to immediately watch the movies to understand my pin, not the first time I’ve had to do that. I LOVE the DEADPOOL character though…and movies. RR does a great job, so funny. I don’t have to do that with Elton John, it’s a winner for me out of the box. So, I admit my review may be skewed in that way.
--Variation – well I’m still honing in the shots and I’m glad that it’s not just incredibly easy. It’s a little bit challenging for my skill level, yet incredibly FUN even when I miss my shots. I’m a medium skill level player. I could always win free games at an arcade even though I didn’t play very often all my life. I played in high school and college, then kept an eye out for a pin everywhere I went and tried to sneak away for a few hours if I found one. I got my first home pin in 2019 right before pandemic, Jurassic Park Premium, at like 51 years old. I envy kids coming up now, all the modern pins available on location and well maintained everywhere!
--Is Elton John a 10? No. But it’s pretty damned great. Is it as good as a Stern? Not sure. It has a LOT going on and it is FUN and visually, tactile response is phenomenal, the audio package is a big party, and it has loads of EXCITEMENT. It’s better than expected and so rad.

Awesome game - getting really flashed
the quality all in all is incredible
thank you Steve for this masterpiece.

This has got to be one the more fun games to come along in the last 10 to 15 years ! Well done JJP. You are truly finding your grove now!

Elton John is Not my favorite. The EJ Pinball is very nice. With nice Flow. A very good Steve Richie Pin and for me the best JJP so far.

The best of Steve Ritchie! Not a big fan of the music or theme but it all works great, game is fun and shoots like a dream. If it was $9-10K I would almost certainly buy one.

Hoping one of the 2 new arcades opening locally get one to play!

Wow: this game is just simply incredible.

Pro’s:
Amazing flowing layout by Steve Ritchie: not a bad shot on the table, and when your accuracy is strong, the game starts turning into one of the best flowing games I’ve ever seen, if not the best.

THE LIGHTSHOW!!! This game seriously has the best lighting package I’ve ever seen on a pinball machine, hands down. Unlike GNR, however, the lighting does a fantastic job at communicating game rules, and it never feels like you are too lost or blinded, while simultaneously rewarding the player with gorgeous light shows that show the genius of the software and hardware designers at JJP.

The rules blend classic, old school, simplistic pinball rules with a level of modern polish, love, and added depth only present on modern games, leading to a fun, balanced, and easy to understand rule set.

The art work on this game is absolutely stunning. In combination with the lighting, the game literally shines while you play it, and just looks stunning even when turned off! The inserts also do a good job in terms of communication, further benefiting the art. The animations are fantastic as well, and work great with the theme.

Sound is so incredibly well done: even if you aren’t an Elton John fan, the sound design, mixing, and speaker quality is unmatched.

Con’s:
There are, like most people have said, no real toys. However, I don’t find that to be particularly important, and the gorgeous looks and amazing gameplay more then make up for it.

The semi-simplistic rule set might get a little tiring on some when in a private collection, though it still has a lot going for it.

The plunge could admittedly be better designed IMO. Mainly, I wish plunges to the pop bumpers were not possible.

Overall, a gorgeous, fantastic game. Seek it out or buy it! It’s easily JJP’s best game, and it’s a certain modern classic.

The art, the lighting and the music are top notch…blow you away. Shots are great and satisfying. Playfield isn’t as busy as a lot of new releases or JJP’s GNR, but it works. Highly recommend Elton.

Easiest my favorite game of the last 10 years. I’ve had Wonka, GnR, Toy Story and WOZ and Elton is my favorite. It has surprising depth.

(I’d say half the music pins made have enough depth to bring you back again and again. The other half are just a kids music/art project and it’s great to admire but the novelty wears off — especially if you buy pins and real estate is limited.).

Personally, I love GnR but because of the music and the experience — and not so much the rule set and progression. I think Zeppelin gets play and may stay in a collection because of the music and fandom alone.

Rush is one of my music pin holy grails — deep music for a rabid fandom, really great use of band members, and one of the coolest playfields Stern has put together (one that I think would be perfect reskinned as Back to the Future). Queen is more of the art/music school project but a must have for serious Queen fans.

Foo Fighters is in a league of its own as well. Quickly becoming a “keep” option for me. However I don’t think it’s a holy grail. I know, it’s a hoot to play with sophisticated shots and a great rule set. I just don’t like it as much as Elton John. On Foo, for me, it’s the sound mix. There’s something off at times with storyline and incorporation of music. Other times it is so straight forward you wonder if it’s still a mode as opposed
to just a music video in the background of a 9/10 game.

And then there’s this game, Elton John. Elton is a holy grail music pin. It’s absurdly fun and there is so much to do, non-Elton fans still dig it and want to come back to it. I’ve had friends play GnR once, really enjoy it, and then never play it again (at least at my place). Elton is like a siren’s call — it kills it on replayability by keeping all three + balls relevant to the song and your game so cohesively that it feels like you just “did a thing” in the game — even if your game was short-lived. The plunger isn’t a “pause in the action” or an aggravating rule reset. It’s just part of the game and experience that you’re having. There are times when the game gets so fast you may think you’re out of control but trust your pinball feelings as the defensive shots are intuitive and fun.

Amen to the designers who understand that having to restart a song or not qualify for one at all is a coingiver nightmare - not enough immediate gratification. In GnR, despite JJPs forethought, (having it qualify for a song on your last ball regardless of how much you’re sucking), I’ve seen plenty of arcaders walk away because they didn’t feel they could get to the good stuff quickly enough — or at times, at all. For newbies and arcades, the player still needs to hit that center shot — and there’s a good number who can’t on demand. That’s when you lose them. If you play two games and there’s no real game play in a full song mode - you can kiss the newbie and arcader goodbye.

The opposite is true with Elton. Songs continue through ball progression and so do most of the quests. There is surprising cohesiveness throughout the entire game from ball to ball. It’s addictive in that way.

And as for rockets — this game’s toys are slick. There were some complaints about Toy Story having cake topper toys. Not on Elton. The game is just visually stunning and the light show and toy gimmicks are so well done… it’s hard to imagine “needing” a mod. I am saving up for the CE. I absolutely LOVE my PE. Plan is to keep both.

Obligatory Elton fan disclosure: like 75% of the pin tunes; love 50% of the pin tunes; and find the last 25% meh. There are maybe 5 songs that I would never turn the dial on. I’d put me at a 7.5 out of 10 - which correlates with my other (also helpful scale) - “Would I buy a ticket to see Elton John? Answer:
2000s until now, No.
1990s, No.
late 80s, no.
75 to 85, YES.
It is also a “yes” to the concerts Billy Joel did with him during the “face to face” tour. So again, I think a 7.5/10.

It might be the beer talking but this game is effing fun!!

First let me say I love Elton John music! Secondly, music pins are my thing, when I can connect with the audio and flow of a game, it becomes an elevated experience. Games like ACDC, Iron Maiden, KISS, Rush and Led Zeppelin premium, are some of my favorite titles. I had heard many people say EJ is beautiful, but I was not prepared for just how stunning it would be. Before I even hit the start button, I couldn’t stop staring at the game. Visually, this game is a masterpiece! The art and light show elevate this game to a level no other game can compete with. Upon hitting the start button and choosing your song, you quickly learn how good the sound is………crisp, clear and EJ music! Unlike other JJP games, this game doesn’t sound like a glorified slot machine! From the first plunge this game is an absolute speed demon. The flow is incredible and allows for lots of fast combos. I don’t care if you hate EJ music, no one can deny this is the best shooting JJP ever, in part because of the amazing layout, but also because they finally fixed the flipper feel! This games shoots like a Stern! YES!!! As you progress through the game you unlock many magical pinball moments, the kind of moments where you want to rewind time and see it again in slow motion. My only criticism of the game is the general animation screen progresses more like a power point slide show, with images cycling through and animations popping up upon hitting certain shots. It’s not bad, just not as good as other games like GNR, where the concert footage is synced up. Jack explained in a seminar that the licensor did not want synched video, so I guess this is the best they could do. I love this game and since playing it, my brain keeps telling me it’s the greatest game ever created, but I am having a hard time admitting it, especially since I am such an Stern fanboy! Even as I type this review, I can here the game calling me back to it………one more game Nick!

I own a JJP GNR, although I love the sync music/led, the game plays slow and not as fun as a STERN. Elton John falls in this same category. I liked iit, but would not buy it.

Lighting is so over the top, it distracts from game play. Music is great. Shots are fun but not that novel.

First let me get this out of the way. I'm not an Elton John fan in any way. Never bought any albums although I've heard some songs on the radio. That being said this is one of the best pinballs I've ever played. Jersey Jack outdid themselves. The game is beautiful. The Lighting is the best in any pinball game to date. The gameplay is spot on and fun. The TV screen is huge and its a real eye catcher. The shaker is powerful and you can feel it feet away. Pricey at $12k, but well worth it. Make sure you play this and alot will agree that its one of the best of all time. Its in my pinball arcade lineup at World 1-1 Games.

Steve Ritchie showed what he can do when he is allowed to design a game the way he wants to. Shots are Ritchie flow, and there's alot of them to take and make. The music catalog is great, and the lady call out voice fits in nicely. The art package is great, and the piano playing Elton and the mini screen are all nice touches. Animation is well done. I want to play this game, alot.

This game is a real masterpiece, it might not be everyone’s cup of tea as a theme but it’s hard to deny it’s a stunning looking and playing game

Elton is a blast to play!!! Keeps me coming back for another game!!! Surprised in how much I enjoyed this game. Jersey Jack's best playing and shooting pin to date!!!

The best JJP pin yet! So much flow, great shots, speed, and the flippers just feel better than other JJPs.

The theme wasn’t initially exciting to me even though I am a fan of EJ, but after playing it it really conveyed the right vibe. It’s absolutely beautiful as well, great light show and artwork.

The modes are fun, fairly easy to understand what to do, and challenging enough without feeling too hard. The speed of this machine adds to the challenge but it’s not frustrating. You want to play it over and over again.

The price tag is way too high to buy but happy to play this on location.

Big Fan!

I own both PE and CE. First I received my PE in last november as an importer in Europe. I was amazed by the flow and the quality of the game. Yes I took part at TPF in last october and tested it, but now I own it at home and after dozens of games I can rate it. The flow is the best compared to all JJP games and again it brings us a different way of playing among their range of games. I wasnt so excited when I heard about the theme but I will always remember what Pat Lawlor told a few years ago when speaking on the booth at TPF speaking about an usual theme, or NON theme. PLAY AT FIRST A GAME BEFORE SPEAKING. Elton "Show" game should convince the players who up to day were claiming about the lack of flow, and too difficult game to understand. JJP gathered in this game all his skills: quality built, crazy mechanic toy, great flow, beauty of the game, fun, and the feeling "One more game I want to play".
Yes I love JJP games and again I assume my rating, this is a great game.
So play it, buy it if you can, but this is a game the whole familly will enjoy even if not fan of the singer.

Now that I received my CE I can compare.

With the PE you already had the crazy package: radcal, sparkling legs/lockbar/siderails.
So what else more for an CE? It is already great as it is, isnt it?

Now the CE is here and yes it does worth for a collector guy to have this one, despite difference price.
The topper is amazing, and the sparkling playfield too.
If you are just a player and you know you want to sell your game in a few months to get the next pinball to come, the PE is your best choice.

So to sum up, whatever is the version, this is a good choice.
If you cant buy it, insert a coin in a location place and enjoy this experience.

I am taking parts to plenty of pinball conventions in Europe and the feed back is above what you could imagine from players after a game on this pinball..
Everybody likes the game very much.

So now time to play and congratulations to JJP's team.

Wow. Not a JJP fan at all. Not a huge Elton John fan either. Wasn’t expecting much out of this…

If the theme was a dream theme this would be my top rated game I’ve maybe ever played. The light show is breathtaking, the flow is amazing, the toys are fun and the shirts are fast and satisfying.

I’m a little bummed that all this went into a theme I don’t care for( why couldn’t they have done this for godfather! Arggg). It is do beautiful and perfectly layed out that will need to purchase.

Really blown away by this pin

WOW! This really confirms the rumors that Stern pulls stuff out of games. I've never seen a Steve Richie game themed so perfect. I couple things are pointless like Elton Johns head turning side to side... my broke already. With that being said Steve Richie makes you forget really quick about that disaster LZ game. This is a masterpiece on every level from lighting, sound, artwork, layout its the whole package.

This is by far the best overall JJP game ever made. There is a new sheriff in town at JJP and his name is Steve Richie. After two boring games in a row from Eric (Guns and Godfather) Steve has shown up and showed out.

I can't wait to see Steve's next game. :I have to be honest when I heard Elton John I was like OH NO PLEASE... the music is better than I thought and the game is fun. To bad JJP has been picking disaster themes at least three in a row here... if this game this level of detail, this layout was on say Beastie Boys, Nirvana, Van Halen, or even Prince JJP would be making this game for a decade.

JJP stop picking bad themes and put Richie to work on a game that will ROCK the pinball community.

Even though I don't love the theme, the theme was NAILED! This is clearly Steves best game ever! Kudos.

Not an Elton John fan, but this game convinces me otherwise. The game is definitely a lot of fun and I can wait to see how much better it gets with code updates. Best JJP game I have ever played. Long live the Master of Flow!

This is a fun shooter with a familiar Steve Ritchie style layout, good music and light show. I am not a huge fan of the overall theme or artwork and there’s nothing truly special about the modes but you still can’t help walking away from the machine with a smile and that’s what pinball is about. Probably JJP’s best shooter to date.

Ever since I was a young boy I’ve played the silver ball. That would be over 55 years! Never written a pinball review before but felt I had to for this great masterpiece of a pin.

I have owned many machines over the years and currently have 32 pinball machines including the top 6 ranked Pinside pinball machines and think Elton John takes the cake.

The new Elton John Platinum Edition pin is a shooting jukebox on the 4th of July, faster than a rocket man and built like a tank. You just don’t want to stop playing. Almost 1,300 LED lights will take you right into the concert like you are a pinball playing rock star! This machine is a piece of art and could be the main piece of any living room. If you were going to own one pinball machine this is the one.

Ritchie’s best machine ever. Jersey Jack’s best machine ever. Best pinball machine ever! It’s FANTASTIC! Can’t wait for someone to top this game because I’ll buy it in a heart beat.

Although I would prefer Rob Zombie’s music, many of Eltons songs rock this machine. The ones that don’t seem to appeal to a diverse audience. I’m sure that’s one reason Jersey Jack chose this theme. For those of you who are not a fan of this theme just remember one of Elton’s big hits was Pinball Wizard. What better theme than that? There’s a reason Pete Thownsend of the Who had Elton cover his song.

The rule set is not as deep as Godzilla or Iron Maiden but gets the job done and you won’t be disappointed. One thing I like about Jersey Jack machines is the amount of backhand shots most of their machines have and this one has some major ones that makes the flow of this pin seem endless.

The price is worth every penny. 12k is a lot of dough but this machine delivers a lot of fun and will be one you will want to keep forever. This machine has it all except a ball eating shark and a plaque that calls it a table. It is loaded! You get what you pay for and more!

You’re gonna hear electric music, solid walls of sound!
Ya know you read it on Pinside, play another rouuuuuund!
Sh Sh Sh Sh Shoot the piano not the jets!

Sorry got carried away. I love this game but everyone has something they would change and here’s mine. The spinning tiny dancer girl, jet bumpers and the middle drop targets. All are a little bit lame and really don’t do much for me or the game but there is so many other things that do. Some of the slow songs I might change out for “Club at the End of the Street.” How did that song not make the cut? Maybe JJ can ask Elton to give that song up and add it to the next update! There is never a perfect game but this gets as close as it goes, so far, in my opinion and that’s why I give it a 10.

A classic from day one and will be Jersey Jack’s best seller of all time.
ENCORE, ENCORE!!!