- Jackal Wild

First Impressions
The Motiv Jackal Wild is an exclusive November 2018 release (often listed as an International or Limited Release) that draws on one of the most successful concepts in Motiv's history. Under the hood sits the legendary asymmetric Predator V2 core, known for its extremely low 2.47 RG and high 0.054 differential (at 15 lbs). Those numbers guarantee very early revving and massive flare potential. This engine is paired with the Coercion HFS (High Friction Solid) Reactive coverstock. The factory 3000 grit LSS (Laser Scan Sanded) finish means the ball builds traction the moment it touches the lane. Visually it sets itself apart from its siblings with a solid Black/Sapphire color scheme, but the matte surface signals immediately that it was built for heavy oil.
Comparison
Technically, the Jackal Wild is a direct relative of the well-known Motiv Jackal Ghost. Since both balls use the same core (Predator V2), the same shell (Coercion HFS Solid) and the same finish, the ball reaction is nearly identical: both read the lane extremely early in the midlane and offer a controlled but enormous arcing motion off the backend. Compared to a Motiv Villain (which comes off the spot a bit later and reacts more angularly), the Jackal Wild feels rounder and more stable in oil. Looking at the competition, the Jackal Wild compares well to the Roto Grip Halo. Both are "snowplows" for heavy oil, though the Jackal Wild often shows a touch more continuation through the pins and is less prone to looking "dead" at the breakpoint once it has used up too much energy.
On the Lanes
The Jackal Wild is a pure heavy oil monster. It is the first choice when the lanes are freshly oiled and you need absolute certainty that the ball will grab in the oil. It works excellently if you have high ball speed or a lower rev rate and need help getting the ball started early. On drier lanes or low-volume house shots it is usually too much ball and will burn up energy too early, which leads to flat hits. Its strength lies in controlling the front-to-back motion: it smooths out over-reacting backends by spreading the energy evenly over the whole lane, and it offers tremendous carry as long as there is enough oil to get it through the heads.