I hear you! I'm 5 hours from a capital city that gets the latest machines when they arrive here. I either have to wait to travel to play them for half an hour every 4 months or so, or buy the game myself....and my games room is now at maximum capacity so one machine will probably have to go....out of a room full of keepers. Decisions...

GOTG
PRO & PREMIUM are great looking games. Still early code on these games sure it plays and lots of good integration however they should be working nonstop if shipping in a few weeks. Game plays well very cool shots. This game plays and feels like...... GOTG. It in no way is a Metallica pin. Did not feel like that to me at all.
Fun / Fast and tons of Flow. Premium had the advantage in my opinion. Hands did not get in the way at least to me. Rocket kick back is fun and quick. Groot Ball lock is fun and rewarding. This is a Big Win for STERN. Feel confident when placing your order. JJPOTC was on the floor as well another good game. I would have liked to see first hand some of the LE features but it was not on the floor for review. Game shoots good and looks like it will be a very solid game. JJPOTC will be the best in there current line up. Shipping Now in March or April reiterates that JJP wants very deep immersive games leaving there factory. Also very excited for the JJP line up to come. Toy Story up next with a follow up by Willy Wanka. JJP is getting monster licenses and they are putting tons of themed fun under the glass. Yes Willy Wonka time to put your order in now. This is a Holy Grail Title. I predict lots of happy people will be taking a trip through the chocolate factory.

IAAPA 2017
STERN = GOLD STAR
JJP = GOLD STAR

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There is only one Willy Wonka in my book.

Thank you ASOA for the review. Sounds like a great game. Are there any notable differences that make the premium the way to go over the Pro. So...the premium has hands , a couple of more magnets, some more RGB lights and a convulsing raccoon. Dismissing the trim and art packages, does the Premium play any differently than the pro ?

..and a spinner!

Ahem...A $1000 spinner with a line of code to go with it, invaluable!

"some more RGB lights in the premium"? Try ALL inserts RGB vs 6 arrows on the PRO. Its a bit misleading to say some. For the lighting alone its tempting to get the premium. I'd probably still get a pro IF I was buying, but the premium is tempting. I won't buy either without playing both first and being satisfied with the current code base.

Plenty of time for JJP to try and come up with a really clever golden ticket type of marketing plan.

Who doesn't love a golden ticket?

Also the gi has 3 colors.....

GOTG PRO is a very good value. If they were not side by side you would not think there is anything missing. This may be the best Pro stern has offered to date.

Potential Pro buyers can move forward with confidence.

Stern thank you for helping our wallets.

Curious if potc at show has any new code on it yet or if it's same as expo.

You do know you can praise a machine without licking the manufacturer's poop hole.

It appears Stern licensed content from the first movie only. I don't see anything from the second movie yet. If so, the second movie music would be out (fox on the run is from the second movie).

Ok here is the scoop for today.
New code!!!
However it just added overlay graphics for the start of modes and multiballs.
No new songs.
But it did add 4 orchestral theme pieces which is nice.
They are now saying it will probably just have the two songs and 4 orchestral pieces. Other songs are not ruled out but less likely now.
Other good news is they have hired actor sound alikes to do the call outs. Says Groot will talk to you during the game and that is coming first.
Here are some screenshots of the new graphics.
Courtesy of the Moncla Mafia.

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Um...what about audio clips from the actual movie? And what is Groot going to say for callouts? "I am Groot" and "We are Groot"?

Sound-a-likes could be a deal killer for me, but I realize not for others.

I have no problem with "sound alike" actors in pinball. They usually do a great job and it's really nice to have custom speech rather than trying to shoehorn quotes into everything. It's a bummer Chris Pratt couldn't have sat down to do lines though. That assures that J.K. Simmons remains the GOAT.

Groot can only say "I am Groot" in various inflections. The other guardians said We are Groot.

Uh, no, Groot said to them "We are Groot".

I think Groot + Rocket would be a fantastic narrative for Pinball:

Groot: ‘I am Groot!’
Rocket: ‘yea, I’m pretty sure he knows to shoot the balls in your mouth’
Groot: ‘we are groot’
Rocket: ‘multiball is ready, you don’t say?’
Groot: ‘I AM GROOT!’
Rocket: ‘I agree, now that is a jackpot!’

Oh no, custom call outs could ruin the whole pin.

Excellent! Now Stern just need to hire Bradley Cooper, and use the existing audio of Vin Diesel!

*****Listen to this guy!!! *****
He hit the nail on the head.

Wait, what? Somehow the game is going to play differently because of custom speech?

If it’s the TWD redneck guy it sure would!

Not really seeing the good news as firstly no new songs and secondly hiring sound a-likes means zero from the actual movie.

As ever it is what it is, but it isn't good news!

Hmm, I did not remember that. Thanks for the correction!

Yes it will, a terrible unfunny stern attempt at humor call out can affect my reflexes and overall stance, I remember when I had Xmen it made physically ill more than once, and its not just Stern SS caused temporary paralysis and bad dreams for weaks even after I had sold it. TWD did its fair share of damage until I figured out that you could attenuate that hillbilly's voice into non existence. I better stop, not feeling very well

Enough of groot, I want to see some pirates stuff.

I'm still very happy with my Twilight Zone even though it isn't actually Rod Serling doing the voice work.

Just reporting the news as I’m given it by Stern Employees.
Don’t shoot the messenger please.
The good news is that custom call outs are on the way. Whether or not you like soundalikes or not is up to each person.

Ok I’m in complete disagreement with Arcade. That is not what I heard. I heard him tell me the call outs were from the movie and they had liscensed sound from Marvel. We are going back to see who’s right.

Ok I’m wrong

Thumb him down all day, but after owning Avenger and X-Men so agree with his comments. IM sound clips are wonderful. GOTG has so many relevant sound clips, spend the extra money and incorporate. Already paying 8K for pins.

I don't know, redneck Groot might sound interesting

So they have zero, none, zilch rights to use call outs from the movie? Ouch! This game just took a big blow to the nuts IMO. (If true).

...hey, just another reason to wait to buy you sociopathic crazy pinheads

"I am Groot!, Ya'all."

Pray for orig. just found out today that depp is some type of Marilyn Manson groupie...something about an orgy with him...yuck!

Hey SKB, I resemble that remark. What’s wrong with the redneck!

Push for more songs Arcade! 2 is good. More is better

I couldn't get good footage of JPOTC, sorry guys...

Willy. Wanka.

Haha I was just messing. If anyone is running my TWD sound mix, they know I have it 70/30 redneck guy to show call out ratio.

I'm ok with actor sound alikes as long as Groot doesn't sound like Sparky and The Toy from Aerosmith. It still bugs me that they sound the same.

Oh man can you imagine, sparky screeching “I am groooot hahahahaha” that would suck lol.

well technically they could try baby groot voice LOL

The Aerosmith toy should sound like this guy! "Charlie-in-the-Box"

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Pinside IAAPA reporters lol.

You & Stern confirmed an "Interactive" topper, I am guessing its similar to Batman 66 = illuminates, except that GOTG = interactive. Any details on how the lights may function with the 2 layers, RGB, flashers, etc?

any and all info is greatly appreciated, thanks in advance.

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They should just get James Hetfield and let him take this bull by the horns, "Jack fuckin' pot Groot! "

DI is linear in nature? I beg to differ.

Scoring? Geometric (see SIM Card multipliers). Definitely not linear.
Modes? Ability to choose from a handful of modes based upon your current situation / stack potential, or if you have Big Bang lit.
Wizard modes? Actually programmed in, with scoring that is appropriate for a wizard mode, and based upon how you played on your journey to the wizard mode, so timing out modes isn't wise.

I will agree that DI commands a hefty price tag -- it's the only reason I haven't pulled the trigger on one.