Sega

Starship Troopers

Pinside Rating

This game received 166 approved Pinsider ratings and currently rates 7.444 _/10

7.444

Top 100 ranking

This game ranks #197 in the Pinside Pinball Top 100.

Score breakdown

Score breakdown in the 4 main categories:

Game Design: 7.743

Artwork: 7.125

Sounds/Music: 6.594

Other Aspects: 7.703

Pinside staff rating

This is how we, the very knowledgeable (wink wink) Pinside.com staff & moderators rate this game. 8 of us have rated this game.

7.647

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Found 85 ratings (with comment) on this game

There are 85 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
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7.791/10

10 years ago

PAT

ExitWound

Inactive member

10y 33,150 305 6

I like the table, even though many others don't. While there aren't too many trick shots or hard-to-make combos, there are enough to keep the game interesting. For instance, the left ramp will drain down the middle if it's not hit just right. And while the normal skill shot is pretty easy to attain, the secondary skill shot requires a little more finesse to pull off, something I can't routinely do after five years of playing the table! You get to pick and choose your multiball mode as the game goes on all the while moving forward from planet to planet eviscerating bugs through target hits. All in all, it's good enough to stay fun because it can be difficult at times as well as being programmed to feel badly for you when you aren't doing so hot by lighting the extra ball sink and multiball targets. I enjoy it.

ExitWound edited previous rating on September 01, 2014.

7.238/10

10 years ago

ARN

Acampero

Pinside member

Thousand Oaks, CA

11y 47,900 1,027 6 8

Fun game but not very deep. Best in a collection with other games as this can get repetitive. Mini flipper is well executed and some shots are really fun and satisfying to make.

Acampero currently owns this game.

7.401/10

10 years ago

MES

Hdmike444

Hdmike mods

Uxbridge, MA

11y 79,650 2,002 3 8

I have owned this for a few months and its a fun overall game. Not a super deep rule set, but has a nice flow. I like all the toys, and multiball lets you rack some points. Back glass is so so but you don't play that. The playfield setup is real good IMO. it has enough to keep you coming back for more.

Hdmike444 has owned this game in the past.

3.608/10

10 years ago

JRM

Mato

Pinside member

Perth

11y 75,800 2,717 11 105

The fact you can pick these up for sub $2000 makes this pin a bit more appealing, its an easy game at a good price.........wow what a ugly back box!

Mato edited previous rating on August 25, 2013.

8.648/10

10 years ago

BSP

nighttaco

Pinside member

Colorado Springs, CO

10y 47,400 735 6 9

Great Game, blast to play, have to upgrade the stock sound system though, it sucks. Other than that it has a lot of fun toys and actually pretty deep ruleset.

nighttaco has owned this game in the past.

8.088/10

11 years ago

IRW

ianw

Pinside member

11y 32,050 12 11 48

Great fun, "kill'em all!"

ianw has owned this game in the past.

8.468/10

11 years ago

TAM

tamoore

Pinside member

Grayling, MI

11y 123K 6,661 37 58

I have no idea why this pinball isn't ranked higher than it is.

It has the cheap Sega 'showcase' back box, which looks horrible next to any B/W or DE title, and the stock audio is just horrendous, but once you realize you can't play a back box, and you can fix the audio, what you have left is one of the funnest 'bash' pins ever created.

It's not a deep game, but neither is the movie from which the game is based. The theme is perfectly integrated into the machine, and you never once forget you're fighting and squashing bugs to secure your path to citizenship.

The toys are fun... The screw-driven warrior vari-target is cool and the static models all around really make the pin look great. But, what really puts this thing over the top is a light show, which might be unparalleled in all of pinball. If half of the flashers were out, it would still be a fantastic display.

This game is fast, flowing and fun. You really need one. Really. You can't have mine, though. ;)

tamoore has owned this game in the past.

2 Pinsiders starred this!

6.683/10

11 years ago

JJM

jsrfo

Inactive member

Monaca, PA

11y 22,150 65 2 12

Decent game based on a B grade flick, although somewhat of a cult classic.

The game has two interesting toys, the brain bug and warrior bug. The rest look more as if decorated by a preschooler. Just not my thing.

This pin is simple and a lot of fun. Two great features are the light show and the digital bug countdown in the played. Very nice. This is a very good entertainment pin. To me, that is important. Not every game needs to be deep or complex. Fun and achievable work, too. That is this game.

Oh yeah. The translite is kinda up there with the more ugly back glass art.

EDIT:

I re-rated a few areas after playing again, and found that the game is much more entertaining when viewed as a whole.

jsrfo edited previous rating on May 21, 2013.

7.788/10

11 years ago

TLH

tl54hill

Pinside member

Lake Villa, IL

12y 61,400 261 4 14

Sure it is an easy game, but it is fun. A great game for casual players, or to share with your less skilled friends. The rule set is not deep, but it is very easy to follow. It is a fun/easy game, with a fun theme, but likely too shallow for the advanced player.

tl54hill has owned this game in the past.

8.280/10

11 years ago

CAL

mojozone

Pinside member

Fort Dodge, IA

12y 51,400 2,557 4 32

love the third flipper, as well as the sounds.

9.960/10

11 years ago

XAP

oropuro

Pinside member

11y 91,800 1,698 168

underrated but awesome game.

8.031/10

11 years ago

ZUL

Caucasian2Step

Evil McBooty

12y 163K 1,455 51 1011

Starship Troopers is a game based off of an over the top movie based on the book by Robert Heinlein.

The Pros:
A very nice PF layout featuring lots to shoot for and a fantastic flipper arrangement. The third flipper is expertly placed to shoot for the saucer on the lower left of the pf and if used well, is a great trapping/stalling tool. It's a flipper, and one of the few spots on the game where you can influence the ball... so work it! The orbits and the ramps flow very well and the standups are placed very well across the PF. The blue and green targets in the upper middle PF all require sniper accuracy. The Vari- target is awesome and better than the one that was in Bad Cats. The skill shot to the hole to the left of the upper lanes requires precise plunging. Or you can hold the left flipper down and go for the ramp. Planets can be stacked and collected from the VUK. Flipping your briefing officer to death is always entertaining. I really like the BG with the rough look to everything other than the actor's faces. Everything else is in blurry/broad strokes of the brushes which gives a great sense of action and goes along perfectly with the theme. Some people don't like the screaming bugs... it's perfect for the theme.

The Cons:
This game has some unbalanced scoring with modes. Orbit multiball is worth too much, is too easy to start and is relatively safe. Not the deepest game out there. Can get monotonous even with everything you have to do. I'm not the biggest fan of the backbox. Klendathu can be a bit of a flail-fest with no real sense of urgency to it.

The Takeaway:
A very nicely done game that while it's not the deepest one out there... is a blast to play and if it appeals to your sense of humor, is hilarious. The third flipper really makes this game stand out and once you get used to it... makes you wonder why more games were not created with this design. Find one if you can and play the heck out of it. Make those bugs scream! You'll have a blast while you are playing pinball. I think this is Balcer's best design other than the work he did with Keith Johnson on TSPP.

Update:
13 shots to the wizard mode. Can it be done? It can. But since it is a random recon award, there is a good chance you will not get it. At least the first time you do it. Granted 6x shots to the ramps may not make getting to the 6th level recon awards is a gimme, the ramp entrances are wide and the ball feeds back to the in lanes safely. The recon/random awards are the bane of this game. Everything else is pretty darn good on the rules here.

Calling mystery programmer!!!

The layout is good, the shooting range is fun (when working as it should) and the shots feel right. The double flippers on the right are a great throwback to the Bally games of the 70’s and made even better with the cradle to the saucer shot.

I like this game a lot. Will it ever get “fixed”? Who knows... in the meantime, it still is a blast to play and is a sleeper in my eyes. Find it, play it, enjoy!

Caucasian2Step edited previous rating on October 05, 2019.
Caucasian2Step has this game on the wishlist.

4 Pinsiders starred this!

8.700/10

11 years ago

BCP

beachcitypinball

Pinside member

11y 41,400 4 2 13

You don't have to be a fan of the SST movie to enjoy this pin. Plenty of action, enjoyable layout with the animated "Warrior Bug" as my favorite. Only gripe is with the Brain Bug outline interfering with the ball flow at times and a bit too many toys for show that do nothing. Great machine for some custom mods.

beachcitypinball edited previous rating on December 29, 2012.
beachcitypinball has owned this game in the past.

6.785/10

11 years ago

BFS

PinkyandtheBrian

Inactive member

Madison, WI

12y 4,750 3 1 11

Played it a lot at expo. I liked the fast pace, playfield layout, digital bug counter and the extra flipper/button is cool even if it did mess with me. The skillshot is pretty pointless though and the sounds might be the most irritating of any pin i've played.

7.995/10

11 years ago

MEL

melappels

World of Pinball

Almere

15y 81,050 285 7 165

I love this game , it keeps you commin back for more !
If you can get your hands on this machine . . buy it , it sure is one of the best DE/Sega games around.

9.328/10

11 years ago

JBP

jbp8653

Pinside member

Gibsonton, FL

11y 48,400 266 7 11

My first pin and I am very much pleased!!!!!!

jbp8653 has owned this game in the past.

8.428/10

11 years ago

SDS

quizkid8279

Inactive member

Mt Prospect, IL

11y 15,000 18

A solid game that makes good use of the license and the characters from the film. The brain bug toy is particularly nasty looking, and the bug counter in the middle of the playfield is clever.

7.966/10

11 years ago

NEO

CaptainNeo

Playfield restorations

Burlington, WI

11y 148K 22,440 37 77 1

once you change the sound system and add lots more bass. This game is way more enjoyable.

CaptainNeo has owned this game in the past.

7.446/10

11 years ago

ZAM

Zampinator

Pinside member

Cheboygan, MI

11y 104K 2,362 1 54

Very Fun Game! Replay value is high. Can you say Brain Bug! Great pin for around the $2,000.00 mark!
I added LEDs to this game, & wow does it look awesome! One of the best light shows I've ever seen!
Game has 19 flashers in it!

Zampinator edited previous rating on April 11, 2014.
Zampinator has owned this game in the past.

7.664/10

11 years ago

DMG

dgpinball

Pinside member

Abbotsford, BC

12y 88,900 1,661 147 72

One of the few Sega games from the 90's that I really like, being a big fan of the movie helps I guess! The game stands on it's own though, lots of good shots, and multiballs, some very good modes and I really enjoy using the mini flipper! As with all Sega games of the period, the artwork is not so hot,(being kind) but this is better than most. Only thing I would definitely change, would be the sound of the hoppers, they are extremely irritating!!

Overall, one a very good game, and one of Sega's best!!

dgpinball edited previous rating on May 29, 2012.
dgpinball currently owns this game.

8.460/10

11 years ago

SDG

BloodyCactus

Pinside member

Lexington, VA

12y 40,150 534 2 8

I love it! Loops, ramps, pop bumpers, vari target. Plays nice and fast. SDTM drain off the ramp if you dont nail it. Brain bug is huge. I like the ramps have some drop outs. I also like it makes you vary your shots, there might be 6 yellow targets but you cant wail away on just one, etc. The light show is insane if you have LEDs installed.

If SEGA had done a tad extra from the start (put the right speaker back in, it is stero after all and there are right channel sounds.. so the game was programmed for it, tightened a couple of shots) this would tip it into the insanely good category.

A couple of audio callouts would be great instead of having to check the DMD every now and again.

Overall, I think this is a great playing pin, lots of different multiball modes keeps things ticking over, the varitarget + brain bug are awesome. fast fast fast playing. Dont knock it because its SEGA, this is a great pin.

BloodyCactus currently owns this game.

8.744/10

12 years ago

NJB

Nbrizzle

Pinside member

East Leroy, MI

12y 19,150 4 4 7

Very fun machine with great lighting and sounds. Definitely under rated.

Nbrizzle edited previous rating on February 29, 2012.
Nbrizzle currently owns this game.

8.143/10

12 years ago

PEN

Inactive member

Bloomfield Hills, MI

12y 67,150 4,237 4 18

This game is a ton of fun! It should be worth a lot more, but Im glad It is not, so I could afford to buy one in amazing shape. I don't think a lot of people have had the chance to play Starship Troopers. If you get a chance to... play/buy this game (mine is not for sale) I have heard people complain about the small flipper on the right, but when I have explained that you kill two bugs instead of just one, when you use the small flipper, it gets more love. Once you get use to the small flipper, it becomes an asset and fun to use. I love B-flick movies and I'm glad they made this killer pinball to display all the cheesy gore of Starship Troopers! KILL EM ALL!!!!

PEN edited previous rating on May 11, 2014.
PEN currently owns this game.

7.081/10

12 years ago

???

plinde1

Pinside member

Jackson Twp., OH

12y 39,050 88 20 27

Starship Troopers is a fun pin to play. I enjoy trying to kill all the bugs to advance to different planets. Although, this game does get a bit repetitive overtime. I would not recommend this game to own, but it is very fun to play for a couple go rounds.

8.889/10

12 years ago

???

Hawkeyepin

Inactive member

Des Moines, IA

14y 41,650 776 41

This game is a MUST play at minimum. If you've never watched the movie, you DON'T have to to love this pin. This is one of the most well thought out playfields I've seen in a long time. Not one but two animated playfield toys, excellent gory dmd displays, easy to understand but hard to complete objectives...this pin truly could stand alone in a one pin collection. The flow is excellent, the multiball is fast and furious as well as the lightshow. I just played this two days after playing Rolling Stones...hands down Starship Troopers wins in all regards at a fraction of the cost. "Join Now!!"

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