It wasn't that long ago that pinball seemed like it might
be heading for that big drain in the sky. Even with the stealth rebirth of the
arcade generating new interest, good luck finding a pinball machine instead of
a redemption game that spits out tickets good for some crappy toy. If you did
happen upon a pinball cabinet, the chances of it being in playable shape were
often iffy at best.
Manufacturers saw the writing on the wall and began to
bail out of the game. Capcom quit right before it was going to release its
much-hyped Big Bang Bar table. Electronic gaming company Williams decided there
was more money to be had making slot machines. Stern rose from the ashes of
Data East and Sega and declared itself the last surviving maker of pinball
machines.
Yet over the past couple of years there's been a bit of a
resurgence. Interest in pinball is growing again. Stern can't claim the title of
sole manufacturer anymore. Jersey Jack's Wizard of Oz table is just now
starting to ship. Small boutique pinball tables, like Skit-B's Predator, are
springing up to do limited runs. Headquarters Beercade in Chicago is opening a
dedicated pinball room with up to 25 machines. It's still a niche market, but
it's one that's looking vibrant again.
Stern has tried to capitalize on the growing fondness for
the silver ball by releasing its tables in more expensive "premium"
and "limited edition" models, aimed straight at a growing home and
collector market. After having a hit with its AC/DC table based on the
Australian hard rock band, it's looking for another win with a pinball machine
based on metal stalwarts Metallica.
Longtime readers may recall our story about the first
Metallica pinball table, a custom one-off based on a Williams Earthshaker.
Stern and the band definitely remembered, because the artist behind that one,
"Dirty" Donny Gillies, has returned for the mass market version.
Licensed themes seem to be here to stay—no one wants to risk an original theme
in this smaller market—but it's a breath of fresh air to see original
hand-drawn art on a pinball table again instead of photoshopped PR stills.
Table designer John Borg is behind the Metallica layout. Borg
is no stranger to pinball, having designed many of Data East's better tables
such as Jurassic Park, Tales from the Crypt, and Guns N' Roses, as well as
well-received Stern tables like Tron: Legacy and Iron Man.
Just as important in a modern table as the layout is the
code, which for Metallica was led by the legendary Lyman Sheats. Sheats earned
that legendary status from his time at Williams, where among other tables he
programmed the trifecta of Monster Bash, Attack from Mars, and Medieval
Madness. Even worn out versions of those three tables often sell for north of
$10,000 each on the collector's market, due in no small part to the rules and
software design. Sheats was also behind Stern's AC/DC table, the success of
which was probably no small factor behind the company green-lighting Metallica.
A well-known license that has more than the temporary
staying power of a movie, an experienced team of designers, and a return to a
compelling visual package: is all that enough to put pinball back on the map?
Probably not, and the prices of a modern table won't help, but it could be
another sign of pinball's growing relevance even in the age of ninety-nine cent
mobile gaming and high-powered PCs and consoles. There's something about
manipulating a physical ball that's still compelling. It's something you just
can't get on a screen.
Stern distributors and dealers are ready to take your
order now if you've got the desire and the cash. The models break down like
this, though you can probably score an under-MSRP deal with a little dealer
hunting:
Pro Version: $4,995
Premium Version: $6,995
Limited Edition Master of Puppets Version: $7,595
For Metallica fans, the track list leans pretty heavily
on older, classic material, and is as follows:
Kill Em All
Seek and Destroy
Ride The Lightning
Creeping Death
For Whom The Bell Tolls
Fade To Black
Master of Puppets
Master of Puppets
Battery
And Justice For All
One
Black Album
Enter Sandman
Sad But True
Unforgiven
Reload
Fuel
Death Magnetic
End of the Line
If we can get a hold of one of the Metallica tables from
Stern we'll do the first-ever pinball review on ITN, but we'll have to see how
the ball rolls on that one. Do you have pinball stories, new or old, to share?
Put them in the comments!
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