Haven't played a STTNG, so can't help you there with a comparison.

But it is pretty hard to go wrong with a Whitewater as long as you don't mind a deeper rule set. It's the sort of machine that will definitely reward time put in playing it and most pinball players seem to rate it.

Have to agree with you there ajlaird.
I had a STTNG, and whilst I thought it was a good game, it really didn't grab me.
WH2O on the other hand had me hooked pretty quickly. If you own one or are thinking of getting one I would get a copy of the rules/objectives to help you make the most of it.

Big call for me to say I like Whitewater better as I'm actually a big STTNG fan. I like quick games though, and WH2O is quite fast.