Update! Stern Press Release.

Update: Two weeks after publishing our initial CSI story, Stern has now released an offical press statement about Crime Scene Investigation. Possibly going slighly over the top this time, calling Gary Stern the "Godfather of Pinball" and stating that 'mystery'-based pinball is the story telling mechanism of the future, but who reads these press releases anyway? ;-) Stern aims at another great license and they sure got one with CSI, the U.S. most popular TV show!

November 11, 2008 -- Stern Pinball, Inc. solves another mystery with the new CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION pinball machine.  Designed by Pat Lawlor Design and Stern Pinball, the CSI pinball machine adapts CBS's original Las Vegas-based CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION® television series into a pinball machine.  The CSI pinball machine will surely appeal to fans of all three CSI television shows, as well as homeowners and street operators alike.

Now in its ninth season on CBS, CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION is the No. 1 program on television in the U.S., averaging 21.4 million viewers and has spawned two additional hit shows, CSI: MIAMI® and CSI: NY®.  CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION is an international phenomenon, having been named the #1 rated series in the world by Mediametrie at the 2008 Monte Carlo Television Festival for the second year in a row.

Anthony E. Zuiker, a huge pinball enthusiast and creator of CSI, also assisted in the design of the pinball machine. "Gary Stern is the Godfather of pinball.  CSI is the Godfather of crime.  ‘Mystery'-based pinball is going to be the story telling mechanism of the future.  Stern and CSI are breaking new ground," Zuiker said.  

The CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION pinball machine, licensed from CBS Consumer Products, offers many exciting features, including: a mechanical Skull that loads pinballs into its eyes for release as the Skull rises above the playfield thus starting Skull Multi-ball; a Microscope mechanism that captures the pinball on a magnet for examination and release into Microscope Multi-ball; a Bullet scoop shot that catches the ball and propels it back into gameplay; a mini-flipper that flips the pinball into action; a Centrifuge Spinning Disc that captures the ball and thrusts it into play; and many ramps, drop targets, spinners and multi-ball play.

The CSI pinball machine features original speech from Robert David Hall, who plays Dr. Al Robbins, the coroner on the Las Vegas television show.  There is also speech from the major characters, including Gil Grissom and Catherine Willows.  CSI pinball features music from the television show, as well as David Thiel.  Pinball Hall of Fame artists John Youssi and Margaret Hudson created the artwork.   

Gary Stern, President of Stern, says, "CSI as a title lends itself to a great game with great features and devices.  And CSI is such a popular title worldwide, with both men and women."

Crime Scene, anyone?

After months of rumor and speculation, it is now apparent that the new Stern game is going to be CSI, after the worldwide extremely populair TV show of the same name. The first two pictures have surfaced on the web, one of them what appears to be a mockup of the new game cabinet and backglass and the second one a shot of the upper left side of the playfield.

An early mockup of the game.

Christmas present anyone?

Along with these photos comes the slightest bit of unconfirmed info about the new game:  apparently it's gonna be ready just in time for Christmas with a stated delivery around mid November. 

The game's toys are obviously themed after the CSI lab tools. A magnet microcope that will be able to grab balls and  a spinning disc centrifuge device. It is also said to have 3 flippers. Mind you, this info is all preliminary and still unconfirmed, I'm just bringing you the rumours.

When the skull is in the higher level, the ball flows from the ramp on the right into a skull's eyeballs. When the skull is in its lowest position, the ball flows from the ramp on the right over the back of the skull.

Skull eyes ball lock

A bit that has been confirmed by way of an early design photo is a skull with its eyes being ball locks. It looks pretty neat! The skull can rise up and down in the playfield (thus making the whole ball lock a bit like the mini playfield in Doctor Who).

Now this looks like another killer game, if -and only if- they manage to finish it in time and have a finalized set of software.

Sad news

Some sad news reached us yesterday as well: a number of Stern employees have been laid off last wednesday, including in-house designers Dennis Nordman and John Borg as well as software programmers Keith P. Johnson and Dwight Sullivan. Director of tech support Joe Blackwell is also said to be leaving the company. Needless to say, I am very sad to hear this and I would like to call out for a big round of applause for these guys - they did some great work for the pinball world! 

Optimism

Gary Stern stays optimistic and states that the company will continue to develop 4 titles per year. Let's hope people are still going to be buying these rather costy toys, with the financial state of the world being as it is. I would really hate to see Stern go as their recent games seem to be getting better with each and every title.

The game has been added to the Pinside archive: CSI