TOTAN would still be in the top 10, top 15 at the lowest, I wouldn't care if it was a sega, I guarantee TOTAN would still be up there. As for Theatre of Magic, I'm not a huge fan of that one. It's not a "complete package" pin, which I think is sort of necessary for a pin to be even worthy of mention in the same breath as "TZ or Addams Family". If TOM had a wizard mode that wasn't crap, then the rules part of the package would be there and the whole package wold be complete and worthy of top ten status. At the moment though, I think TOM needs to drop a number of spots anyway.

And no, I'm not denying the existence of stern bashing. It's all over these forums. But even if ACDC was the most well-built, solid, quality game ever made, it's still not top ten worthy in my eyes. I'd probably put it at about #12 though. It's a very good game, just not amazing to me.

Fair enough... We won't argue over .05 or .1 difference in overall score. And it is fortunate we do not have the exact same list. Overall this forum would be boring...

Amen to that! I love these forums, and we owe it to ourselves to keep them interesting.

I keep looking in my Sterns for 24AWG wire!

Andrew

This about sums this post up for me.........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=5OERYl6jU1U

Nah, its pretty much that Stern games are all the same, they are cheaply made, their playfields are ugly and the code is never complete. Oh,and they are way to fucking expensive. I will give you that at the prices of pins now I would have none.

I always read this from you and I'm not sure what you mean. Are you talking layout? Rules? Art package? How is AC/DC the same as The Avengers? Or Tron the same as TF? Or TSPP the same as LOTR? I'm really not seeing it.

Yeah, but the cool thing is that since they are all the same you can change out the playfields. So to mix it up I will swap my IM playfield with my Trons. Gives both machines a totally new look and the play is really funky.

Lifting the playfield is like Christmas, you find all sorts of mystery screws and bulbs at the bottom of the cabinet.

At least Stern is shipping pins. So what's JJP's 3rd title and when are pre-orders available?

I decided that instead of listening to whiners who have never owned a NIB Stern, I'd ask real people who HAVE actually bought one or more.
Overwhelming comments stating that owners would and will purchase NIB Sterns again.
The only comment to the contrary was an Xmen owner who said that he'd wait until Stern finishes the code before buying another one.
You can go look at my thread if you want, but of course you guys really just want to complain.

Well I for one am taking a page from your book and wish to state the following:

I'll never buy a hippopotamus!
(Which will likely not affect the market on hippos either)

Why don't you all work on finding the best mods, or compare high scores on your favourite pins instead?

Well damnit. There goes my Christmas present. And it was all I wanted.

LTG : )

I'd buy you one Lloyd.
But I'd complain about how flimsy it was online and compare it to a better-built rhino I own currently.

Hell that's nothing. Remember playing that AC-DC and having a bunch of mystery screws and washers slide down on the *top* of the playfield?

Yep, cardboard and stickers... badly photo-shopped stickers at that! Glad you're waiting until summer to burn them, the fumes from the glue holding those things together would most likely put you out (and not in the good way). Until then, use the windex sparingly as I still believe next time you're going to wipe right through the side of the machine! And before you get Matt to touch that art up it might be a good idea to reinforce the paper mâché with something thicker, like a newspaper or that fancy TP you like to use.

I keep my FG in a harmonically sealed vacuum in the corner of my gameroom - only exposed to air for very brief periods of time to keep it from going bad as long as I can. I still think it's the only Stern worth owning, with Tron a distant second - you should see if you can find a sucker to trade those junk titles you have for one.

Recreational machines are for recreational fires only, it's on the internet.

Bring over my old Creech and you can have the lot. I would rather have 1 B/W than 5 Sterns.

Ol' 3-legged Creech for 5 Sterns?? Do you think I just got into the hobby or something?

This is one of the funniest things I've read on any website in a long time and I'm the only person who seems to have noticed.

We've got satire, sarcasm, commentary, exposition and observation all in one seemingly innocuous post. I almost want to go thumb the OP up just because it lead to the above.

Thank you Wolf!

Fair comparison, an 18yr old pin to a NIB one, but since you paid more for the 18 yr old one it should be in better condition??? I think we all know who is doing the smoking!!

15 of my 38 pins are newer sterns. They are there because I enjoy every one of them. The last NIB is Hulk. Game play is great, but the quality of the plastics is just plain cheap! Price goes up, quality is down. This hopefully will change with competition. My intention is to acquire many more NIB games, but the continous decline in materials used in the newest Stern games is a great concern .

Avengers could very well be my last NiB. I heard from my dealer that Stern is planning to raise prices AGAIN with the next release. 10% for the pro and 6% for the LE. I say nuts to this.
That's another 400$ added to the total. Damn!
Can any other dealer confirm this. JJ or anyone?

I was just checking the price hikes since Avatar LE here in Belgium. Avatar LE was 5100 euro,
Tron LE was 5700 euro, TF Combo was 6000 euro, Auto/decep was 6400 euro, ac/dc premium was 6700 and LE 7200 euro, xmen LE was 7150 euro and Avengers LE was 7250 euro. So Metallica would be around 7650 euro if rumor is true. This is really getting out of hand Stern! Since Avatar LE and Metallica LE the extra price is a "the pin", a whopping 2500 euro in 2 years!!
Crazy!

I've owned five sterns and only replaced an opto. My iron man I bought nib it's has 1500 plays and a light bulb hasn't even gone out. I think stern has good quality control and I've been happy with all the titles I have bought.

Well not even up, I know I'm going to have to add cash to the deal. Pm me with how much you want. I do not want anyone else to know what a great deal I got.

Dollar for dollar, the NIB ACDC was a better purchase. A factor that was considered was the shape of the game, and the price I paid.
I didn't say that the AFM should be in better condition than the NIB Stern. I was pointing out that the more expensive pin that I've bought was rough around the edges and it wasn't the NIB Stern.
NIB Sterns are a great value when you compare with one of the top B/W pins considering how expensive they have become.