Damonator's ratings

I pretty much ignored Venom on release because of Sterns pricing and the initial reactions of "it's just another fan layout". But I kept thinking about how much I love Mark Tremonti music, Brian Eddy layouts, Zombie Yeti art, the marvel universe, dark/scary pins, the "leveling up" concept, etc. I had a feeling I would own one someday - and when prices took a dip on the secondary market, I couldn't resist and bought one having never watched any videos or playing a single game on one.

After receiving my game but before playing, I thought the artwork was fantastic but the layout did look like a simple fan with a lot of narrow shots. My expectations weren't very high. After firing it up, I hit the adjust volume button and a snippet of a tasty metal riff played. At that point, I thought "ok - killer art, killer music - maybe this one hangs around for a while just based on those two factors.

And then I played a game...and was blown away by how well it shoots. The shots are easier to make than they appear and the staged balls on the ramps make this game super fast. The flow feels really good - like old Eddy games MM/AFM kind of flow, but faster because of the locks. The music is incredible of course and the theme integration is top notch. The "leveling" code is unique and creates that "one more game" feeling.

I look forward to getting deeper into the game and the upcoming boss fights. Venom is the hidden gem of newer games and will stay in my collection a long time.

Great game - I give the edge to MM or EHoH with similar layouts however.

MM is a great game - fast and flowing, but not brutal. The castle is one of the best toys in pinball and the theme is a classic. On default settings, it's difficult to reach the wizard mode - so it keeps you coming back for more.

2021 Update - the ruleset would now be considered shallow compared to modern pins. Still a great title, but probably not the *best* game. Most people rated this game LONG ago and haven’t updated their rankings.

MM is a great game - fast and flowing, but not brutal. The castle is one of the best toys in pinball and the theme is a classic. On default settings, it's difficult to reach the wizard mode - so it keeps you coming back for more.

2021 Update - the ruleset would now be considered shallow compared to modern pins. Still a great title, but probably not the *best* game. Most people rated this game LONG ago and haven’t updated their rankings.

The LE and Royal are way too expensive compared to the original and standard remake.

MM is a great game - fast and flowing, but not brutal. The castle is one of the best toys in pinball and the theme is a classic. On default settings, it's difficult to reach the wizard mode - so it keeps you coming back for more.

2021 Update - the ruleset would now be considered shallow compared to modern pins. Still a top 5 game, but probably not #1.

I used to favor originals over remakes, but the Royal edition with the 2x DMD, topper, powdercoat, RGB lighting etc is a huge upgrade and tips the scales in the remake's favor.

The projector on the Prem/LE is one of the coolest features I've seen on a pin. Add in a classic Bryan Eddie layout, crazy ball lock, the incredible UV kit and over the top Cleland sound package...and it's a formula for super success. Thanks Stern!

Superb game - hilarious quips - great layout - great music - fun rules.

What else can you ask for in a pin?

The TRex is the best toy in any game I’ve ever played. The layout is superb - I love the fresh ideas from Elwin. The theme integration is awesome, all versions have great artwork and there are lots of fun aftermarket mods. Top 3 games ever made by Stern!

The layout is VERY similar to MM, but the shots are longer like AFM. The game has a great flow, deep rules, good humor and great art. One of Sterns top 5 games of all time.

The one drawback would be the price - the game has a lot of demand and the supply is limited.

The best music pin ever made - no contest. It also has the best lighting/sound/shaker integration of any pin I’ve ever played.

It is multiball heavy - but a neat twist is that it punishes you for trapping during multiball, so it’s pretty frantic.

If you love GnR music, you’ll love it.

A true credit to the team that developed this game - the final product is truly exceptional. It is one of the most immersive pinball game I’ve ever played.

Pros - incredible theme/sound/animations make you feel like you are a part of the movies. The modes are difficult, well thought out and have a lot of variety in what you are trying to shoot and when. The cut scenes are well placed and highly polished. The mode instructions displayed on *3* LCD screens are very helpful. The playfield LCD is a great idea as it allows you to see some of the animations and mode directions. The Xeno head is one of the best toys in pinball. The layout is unique with lots of shots.

Cons: The upper flipper is hard to feed - a 50% chance of dropping from the pops is the best option. Feeding it with the upper left flipper or an extremely tight shot from the lower left flipper is harder to control. The chest burster shot is too tight and is critical.

If you played this game at a show or you played an early code version, you really need to try it out again on the latest code. The aftermarket community has been phenomenal in remaking parts and shoring up some of the fragile aspects of the design.

I hated this game when it first came out because the actors voices weren't used. HOWEVER - an awesome pinsider has tediously replaced most of the callouts with clips from the show. The DMD animations are some of the best Stern has ever done, the music is great, love the layout. There are a ton of cool mods now too.

I own this game - and it has lasted in my collection while I have sold many other titles. Why? Because it's awesome! This is Pat Lawlor's fastest playing pin by far. The goal of the game is to win a virtual motorcycle race. You start in last place and have to work your way to the front. You do this by hitting all the targets for one of the competitors - then you have to make the shot that will take you to the vertical playfield. Up there, you have to make a specific shot in order to "pass" that racer and move up in the race. if you don't drain while up top, you can attempt the cliff jump and get a satisfying "Baaaanzaaaaiiiiiii" call out if you make it. In order to take the lead, you'll have to lock one of the balls during multiball, then make a very difficult shot on the upper playfield. It's a challenge and very rewarding when you finally achieve it. Williams actually lost money on this title, so it's super rare...but highly recommended if you can find one!!!!

Great game - I give the edge to MM or EHoH with similar layouts however.

CFTBL is a great game - the music, lights, sounds and speech all make for a very good theme. However - most people under 40 have never been to a drive-in theater, so the theme and music are a bit dated for some people's likings. The creature hologram takes up an enormous amount of playfield real-estate and is rarely active (and most have turned to blue instead of green)...thankfully the LCD replacement mod is available and corrects this negative. The playfield is a bit claustrophobic for my tastes - but the backglass and playfield art are some of the best in pinball. My wife likes this one more than me - but it's a fun game - I can't really knock it too much.

I am a huge Star Wars fan. I've actually owned every Star Wars pinball - the Data East, the Sega and the Williams. Unfortunately none of them have been that much fun and I no longer own any of them. This game was the best of the three Star Wars - but the Pinball 2000 platform was just too much of a gimmick in the end. I didn't like the smaller playfield and I didn't like the fact that 1/3 of it was covered by the reflection of the monitor. Throw in some JarJar, some Anikan and a "dress the princess" video mode and you end up with a mediocre game. The multiball is cool however. I really, really wanted to like this one - it was the first game that I paid full retail for even...but not even a jedi mind trick could get me to like this one.

I consider this one a missed opportunity - it's just too slow and shallow. A made right ramp shot takes a long time before the ball is back in play...a ferris wheel shot takes even longer. There aren't any modes to speak of - just a multiball to work towards. The monotone call-out when you lose your ball in the outlane sums it up - "This way to the egress."

CV is one of the best looking pins every made - the sound, speech, music, art and rules all tie the theme together nicely. It's John Popaduik's best game (followed closely by TOTAN). I love cranky toys - and the ringmaster fits the role nicely. The wizard mode is one of the best in pinball as well.

MM is a great game - fast and flowing, but not brutal. The castle is one of the best toys in pinball and the theme is a classic. On default settings, it's difficult to reach the wizard mode - so it keeps you coming back for more.

2021 Update - the ruleset would now be considered shallow compared to modern pins. Still a great title, but probably not the *best* game. Most people rated this game LONG ago and haven’t updated their rankings.

The twilight zone is Pat Lawlor's best game to date. It has a lot of different shots and it's fast paced, but not brutal. The theme, music, sound and art all tie in well with the theme. The game was designed for DCS sound, but it wasn't ready yet, so the music and voices aren't as high quality as they had wanted. However, a PinSound board completely solves this issue.

This is the best looking LE Stern has made so far - mirrored backglass, custom illuminated side rails, illuminated starfleet emblems on both sides of the head, stainless speaker panel, blue powder coat, RGB LEDs, kickback, interactive vengeance, ramp lighting, signed playfield, extra asteroids and a frickin' laser! The game itself is fun - the sounds, music, lights and modes tie in to the movie perfectly.

The downsides - the playfield artwork is a little plain and the modes are kind of repetitive and uninspired.