I got mine on Friday. Initial impressions are that the cabinet art package is very nice for a stern and didn't deserve all of the negativity that it got. The playfield art is a little less then to be desired but does look a ton better in person. As far as gameplay goes the shots are in different places and everyone that seems to play it at first can't make anything. It's just brick after brick after brick. After a few games you figure it out and the game has great flow. The upper playfield is fun and fast, you are never up there long enough to get bored as you have to leave it to finish a mode. The RGB lighting is great and really makes the game shine. The code is pretty well developed for a initial release but it still is extremely unbalanced with a long way to go. There's enough there to have a lot of fun while we wait though which is more then can be said about previous releases. It's way to early to say this is going to be a top game but I think the potential is there.

As for the build quality, I have to completely disagree with the previous comments. The game has the nicest clear coat that I have seen from stern ever. The cabinet is well built. I prefer the latch lockdown bars are they do not rattle or feel loose when you play them. I consider them an upgrade. The metal back box makes the game lighter and easier to move and will also not get chunks knocked out of it by barely bumping it like the wood ones do. Bolts or latches do not matter to me either way. Both are extremely easy to use. The decals look really glossy and nice on this game. The flippers on the spike system feel more like B/W games then anything else in my opinion. The sound is so much improved on spike and is crystal clear. The 2 negatives are that stern should be putting out a color display and the game does need dampening tape installed if you use a shaker. The tape is not a big deal but is something stern should address at the factory since they have code for a shaker. Heavy and chunky does not always mean quality. The simplicity of the spike system compared to JJP's system is extremely impressive.

It's just some foam tape that you put anywhere that rattles. Some games with a shaker need it for the playfield glass and the back glass. It just makes it snug so it won't rattle anymore. I've seem some people use felt also. Both work fine.

It is the new norm, one of the spike system negatives along with the stupid power switch location. I'll take both of those negatives to get the upgraded sound and flipper feel though.

I find backhanding the left orbit and the right ramp to be much safer and consistent. I like that you can make the middle lock shot from both flippers but it is much tighter from the right flipper. I find the kickback very hard to hit from the left flipper but every once in a while I can hit it.

Mine is pitched right at 7.2-7.3, not crazy steep but pretty steep.

For the initial release I will say that the code still needs to be improved for the upper playfield but it is already fun and not easy to complete. You can get the multi ball started but it's not easy and won't happen very often. Beating the upper playfield in not really hard but it can take 2-4 attempts sometimes to beat each level. My favorite part is that the modes and hurry ups are already integrated into the upper playfield. It has numerous inserts and you can play several of the houses on the upper playfield or the lower playfield. Similar to WH2O the winter is coming hurry up can be on the upper playfield. Trying to hit the ramp and then target with those flashers going nuts is crazy hard.

Any chance someone could send me the fine that is on the SD card that the game ships with? We had a storm last night and now the file on my is somehow corrupted. The game powers on and only says stern pinball and will not do anything else.

I tried that and tried loading the new version that was just released. I get nothing. So I tried pulling the SD card and putting the 1.01 directly on the SD card and still only get the stern pinball on the DMD and nothing else. Guess I'll have to wait and call stern Monday morning.

Thanks for the offer Larry. I called stern this morning and they are sending a new SD card. Chaz was extremely nice and helpful on the phone. Great customer service. I should be back up and playing by Wed .

The hate ratings for GOTLE have already begun. Someone one gave it a 1 and another person gave it a 2.5? Granted the person that gave it a 2.5 did rate it above tronle which to them is the worst game ever made

None of it matters but its funny how petty some people are. So far I'm enjoying the game other then the WIC bug on the new code. Hope it gets fixed soon. I'm holding off rating it until I've owned it for 6 months or so. The backbone is there for a great game though.

Got frozen for the first time yesterday. Wasn't aware that was in the code. It's hard to play with one flipper