That fixed it. Thankyou so much.

Mine was damaged by FedEx. Had to return to stern. No eta given.

Finally got LE unboxed.

Even with pictures was surprised just how beautiful this pin is. I understand that that's very subjective, but to me the period handpainted movie promotional art is fantastic. And body armor color is perfect.

Looks like art is by people who really love the license.

Well done, Stern!

Sorry man. I literally can't believe how stupid it was of them to ship FedEx right before Christmas. Might as well toss the things off the back dock.

Im considering selling or trading my original MM for Bond LE. I don’t play MM anymore as I’ve achieved all objectives, been knighted King of the Realm and no longer find the game challenging. As much as I love the theme, humor and artwork, I think it’s time to move on. Is Bond LE challenging enough to keep me interested and would you make this trade?

I also picked up Godzilla LE and Rush LE recently and find both have great flow, but are on the easy side and I’m quickly losing interest. That’s why I sold Elvira LE, Scared Stiff, Monster Bash, IJ, TZ and many other games…too easy and repetitive.

The only game I have my eye on right now is Bond LE or the upcoming Bond Super LE. Anyone regret buying Bond or is this title a home run? I know the code isn’t complete yet, but the LE is gorgeous and I see a lot of playfield inserts and modes which is a good indication there’s plenty to do to keep it challenging and interesting in a home collection.

If I can get a pulse check from Bond owners before I list MM, Rush or GZ for sale/trade, that would be helpful. I don’t want to make a mistake and regret selling a top 10 pin for Bond if it’s not a killer game. Should I pull the trigger now or wait for the code to mature further before deciding?

The code is going to make this game and it’s too early to tell. If I was guessing I’d say in a few months some LE owners might get impatient and sell if something new comes along. Should keep pricing down.
I love mine, the shots are great but even though I trust the team is going to make it great, shots and mechs alone aren’t enough to be sure.

It is a great shooting pin with a very different feel, but there's absolutely no way to know if the pin will be great yet. It feels like about 2/3 of the game is still missing. You can do everything in .80 in 15-20 minutes if you can manage to avoid multiballs and actually finish the modes (multiball currently kills modes dead if you happen to fall into a multiball accidentally, which is very easy to do if you aren't paying attention).

I'd get something else in the meantime and keep an eye on how Bond develops. Nordman's AP pin is supposed to be imminent.

Thanks for the honest insight PinMonk, I appreciate it. I think I’ll hold off and see how things develop with this game then. 1000 LEs isn’t all that rare anyway, so they should be readily available. Other titles I’m considering are Black Knight LE and Stranger Things LE. I’ve never played ST and it’s ranked pretty high. What about Mandalorian? Anyway, if Bond code ends up being amazing, I’ll definitely make a deal to get one. Best to hold off for now, though, I guess.

MY opinion?

Black Knight Pro plays better than the Prem/LE, but neither are great games. The topper, however, is best in class.
Mando is boring (for me at least), and that rising mini-playfield is just dumb.
Stranger Things is fun, but the LEs are very pricey. Make sure to get a UV kit if you go this way.

Of the three you mentioned, Stranger Things is the clear winner.

OK, I’ll scratch Mando from the list. That topper on BK is incredible and I know the game is a punisher and very challenging, which I like. Like you said, it’s a good game, but probably not Top 20 for most. I’ll look for Stranger Things and Bond on location locally to play them and form an impression before deciding to drop big $. This hobby is getting crazy expensive, so mistakes can be costly. That Bond LE is a gorgeous game, though, no doubt about it. Hoping the code turns out to be something special

I hope Bond ends up being great. If not, it will be a waste of a pretty cool design that shoots great once you adjust to the unique geometry.

I’ll be honest, so far I don’t like it. The code could definitely evolve and make it a winner, but for me it is well behind the other sterns that I own. I should still be in the honeymoon phase, but after 40 games it ranks last in my collection.

I think this is more about nothing really fun to do yet, and frustrating quirks like multiball cancelling modes than the table design itself, which I think is pretty neat once I adjusted to it. As it stands, there's NO WAY this is a .80 software release. That's allllll PR. This level of completion is more like .60. Looking forward to the next release in a couple weeks...

Interesting and thanks for the honesty. How do you like Stranger Things and Batman 66? Those two are on my short wish list of pins. Are they deep and challenging? I remember playing Batman 66 a long time ago and it felt like a clunky mess. Then I believe the code got way better like Kiss. How do you like Dialed In? That’s the only JJP I wrote off, but I hear a lot that it’s underrated?

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Darkryder on Darkryder. How very Being John Malkovitch.

Being John Malkovich two johns (resized).jpg

Sure thing…. Bond reminds me of B66… I find both to be a bit clunky….although Bonds ramps are much, much smoother. B66 has the best, and deepest code I have played. There are so many ways to play the game. It’s probably the game we play the most

Stranger things - definitely in my top 5 - it has a similar layout/ structure as afm/mm but it is deeper. IMO… it has fantastic mood.

Dialed In is buttery smooth and fun to shoot. The code is pretty deep, but IMO flawed to a point that it hurts its longevity.

Definitely lacking in the “fun” but I also find it frustrating. I don’t care for the shots off the upper flipper, the rocket doesn’t provide much, and the scoop under the third flipper causes unnecessary stops that hurt the flow.

Rocket area definitely demands jiggling/bumping/nudging while the ball is in there or it will take forever and a lot of luck to spell SPECTRE. I don't mind that, actually. I do wish the rocket went up and down, though.

Upper shots feel great in combos once you adjust to the timing, which is quite different than your brain and muscle memory thinks they should be.

The scoop, however, is a total waste and should have either had a diverter to block it part of the time or just been left out. It's especially bad currently if you start a mode, then have an extra ball or high stakes animation queued where it makes you watch the whole mode intro clip with NO WAY to skip it until it gets to the end and farts out the high stakes or extra ball animation. That drives me nuts.

Would a 3rd pop bumper work well there instead of the scoop? Could be challenging being reasonably close to the flippers

Very helpful, thank you. It sounds like Batman 66 and Stranger Things are winners…I’ll definitely research further. That Batman 66 Super LE listed in the Marketplace is tempting, but I’m sure the normal LE is just as fun and half the price. I’ve played Dialed In a few times and it felt very smooth with lots of shots and great code, but I just don’t connect with that theme at all. I love the way Black Knight LE looks and that topper is insane…keeping it on my shortlist. Led Zeppelin LE is also on the list and I’d like to find a Zep to play on location before buying

Maybe a motorized AfM type standup wall or a target bank or something to block the area for part of the game. Also, it doesn't really need to be a VUK style it should just be a plain saucer. Really the only part of the game design that absolutely shouldn't be there. Total flow killer in a pretty flowy game - and the ball ends up in there a LOT.

I agree… and I think there is a chance the game will grow on me as it evolves and I get used to it, but it is weird that after owning for only a few days I have unfavorable impression.

Having had an SLE, the cabinet on the SLE is GORGEOUS. Pictures do NOT do it justice. It's the greatest thing about the SLE, aside from having had Adam West say your name to put in the code if you bought it NIB. The topper on the SLE is slightly different than the LE, too. It has a cheap metal can batsignal on the back area that does project a pretty good batman logo on the ceiling. You also get all three translites.

Worst part of batman'66 is the rotisserie with the (allegedly - it's so abstract you can't really know) Atomic Pile on it. It's ugly until you mod it and the whole turntable is SLOOOOOW turning, even if you crank up the speed in the menus. Really slows the game waiting around for the thing you need to rotate front and center.

Batman'66 and Bond are also linked because they both launched with barely above "box of lights" game code. Hopefully Bond is fully realized faster than Batman'66, which took almost 18 months with a huge >6 month gap a couple months after launch where NOTHING was released.

Btw.. I don’t consider Stranger Things super deep…l‘d guess that Godzilla is deeper.

B66 is an A+ game for me in every aspect * other* than playfield design. I think the SLE has the best side art in pinball.

Is Batman'66 SLE the only Stern with cabinet art that has some relief to it? That plus the amazing foil effects are really stunning in person.

Godzilla le and I think the EHOH 40th both have a relief in them….the SLE beats them both

My Maiden LE and Godzilla LE have foil cabinet art…they both look amazing. Elvira SE and 40th also have it, I believe

But the Maiden LE foil is just flat. The Batman'66 SLE has raised parts. It's so well done.

I think a Batman 66 LE would be a nice addition and that super deep code has my attention. Stranger Things, I couldn’t get into that horror theme, as cool as the UV kit is, so I’m thinking either Bond or Batman. Maybe I’ll sell two games and get a Batman SLE and yolo it, ha ha

That’s cool, I’m surprised you let your SLE go. Only 80 units is extremely rare

Yeah I saw the updated info on AMD as well. I could actually be in a position to buy an LE after all. I won't know what the situ is till AMD reopen though as I emailed them on Friday when they were already closed for the holidays.

I couldn't GIVE IT AWAY during the first year. I was so pissed about literally no updates for 6 months after Gomez promised updates "every 2 weeks until we getcha there" that I put it up for like $12k (a $3.5k loss) and there were ZERO takers. It WAS a box of lights at that point. Took it down and sat on it for a while.

Eventually sold it about 6 months later for about what I paid once the code started flowing. I was still pissed at Stern's terrible handling of it, like no spare parts for warranty claims on the SLE-specific stuff (the front coin door area started delaminating - tough luck we don't have replacement parts was Stern's stance).

At least my name lives on in the code.

Oh man, kind of like the JJP POTC situation, but far worse. At least POTC is a mostly complete game and a fantastic one at that. You must have been pissed when the masterpiece final code dropped for BM66, that sucks. I remember Kiss was another one of those games that took years for final code. I guess good things do come to those who wait, sometimes. I’ll probably look for a Batman 66 LE and watch Bond to see how it develops. That’s cool Adam recorded all of those first names for the SLEs…he must have had a lot of fun being part of that game.

LEs were still available before AMD closed for the holidays.

BM66 is fabulous.
I’m not sure why peeps think it’s clunky. Perhaps they haven’t given it enough time to learn?
Once you know how to approach the shots, I can consistently hit them all. Only one for me that can be a bit tough is the right loop for lock but once you realise how to handle it becomes much more consistent.
So wish I had the SLE.

Pinmonk seems to be very bias toward Stern in general, although he has some good knowledge of things, I wouldn’t scratch Mando off so quickly from your list. It is an awesome Brian Eddie shooter and Dwight’s code is amazing with depth. Very addictive game with lots of ways to approach it. The upper PF is killer and replicates sharp shooting. Also very additive and interesting with the SW code in it. Anyone that says otherwise, hasn’t played many games. Just saw a video by Nick (Buffalo Pinball) who loves his and was raving what an unusual more difficult shooter that keeps you entertained for the long haul. I tend to agree with him. The foundry is very RPG like and adds another dimension. Do yourself a favor and try it, you’ll definitely like it. ST is another Brian Eddie gem too. Both these games far exceed Brian Eddie’s long ago ancient shooter MM, although it’s good too, you’re right not much there to do. Enjoy either of Brian’s modern games.

Meh. I've owned way more Sterns than anything else. But don't take my word for it. The marketplace tells the story. Mando is one of the least-expensive recent Sterns on the secondary market. You can have an LE for about $10-$11k while better recent Sterns LE machines go for $13-15k on the secondary market. If it were hot, the Pro/Prem would also not be in stock at many distributors, and it is.

I'm not saying people can't like Mando. I'm sure plenty do. But having owned it and played it quite a bit I feel like it was a wasted effort by Eddy, and the relatively low secondary market pricing and slow sales broadly says I'm not alone. Contrast that with TMNT, which is also pretty cheap on the secondary market and widely available new, still. BUT, I think TMNT's actually a good game that could be improved with just a little tweaking. The reason it's not well regarded is because it's a kiddie theme with tough as nails gameplay. So not great for kids drawn to the theme, and too kiddie of a theme for many serious players (plus it still has scoring issues that can be fixed).

It is hard to believe, but I actually disagree with PinMonk on something! His writings are usually spot on in my view, but we all have opinions including myself.

I own all of the stern spike two games and each are great in their own way. Some are horrendously rated such as Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, Munsters, and some are top such as Godzilla and all of the other Elwin games. In my opinion, munsters is the least of the bunch and it is still a good game.

Mandalorian is a unique game and can be quite difficult. No wailing and flailing on this one. Our home pinball league members seem to really love this game. I certainly enjoy it. Players with good skills find this challenging. Same with turtles.

My son is an excellent player and we swap machines often. He is usually finished with a machine after posting a quick GC, often within a day or week. Recently, he ripped through Batman 66 in one week and black knight sword of rage in one day. These are both great games, but too easy for him (factory settings). What games does he find challenging? Ghostbusters premium with the crazy magnets and flipper gap, Stern Star Wars, Stern TMNT, Fishtales, Whitewater, and Rick and Morty. Speaking of hard and easy games, you can always adjust difficulty which many of us don’t bother with. This can make a huge difference for fun. I find most factory settings very challenging. Recently, I have been tightening up the tilt bobs as I have developed some bad habits. Fortunately, most pinball games I find very challenging and therefore fun. Some of you better players have different issues and you can adjust your game accordingly.

Games by other manufacturers are a lot of fun as well. I really enjoy hot wheels, legends of Valhalla, alien, Willy Wonka, Ultraman, and JJP guns and roses.

James Bond? Son had this (LE) at his house for two weeks and is pretty much finished with it, mainly because of the very limited code. He felt it was very fun to shoot and a beautiful game. Most people on this thread feel the same I believe.

My son and I currently own all of the mentioned games and have many plays on them.

Enjoy your shopping experience!

Thanks for the input Dave, I’ll give Mando a few plays and see if it clicks with me. Same with Turtles and Star Wars (again). I already have STLE and find it very deep and challenging and it’s a keeper. Zep LE is on my shortlist of games to add just because Zep is the goat and I love music pins. Munsters LE is an attractive game and it sure looks fun, but I’ve never played it. Will do a little research, but BM66 is the next incoming game based on feedback here. Sorry to Jack this thread and now back to Bond…James Bond!

The right outlane definitely requires you to have good nudging skills! However, I got tired of seeing my family drain down the right side. It was super easy to remove the car and add the second post they included in the goodie bag.

So, let me get this straight... you buy a very expensive toy with very basic code, which will bore you silly after a few weeks, then what... you wait for 18 months for the code to be completed? Or you get rid of the dead weight and replace it with another incomplete game?

You're all NUTS.

From concept to creation, it takes about 8 months to finish a modern pinball machine, more than enough time to complete the code. These games should ship with complete code, there are absolutely no excuses. Although, I would love to hear them...

Er, the dog ate my code
Our coder only works weekends
My coding computer is slow and keeps crashing
The designers keep changing stuff, so I can't start coding until they stop fannying about (most likely excuse)

Personally, I wouldn't stand for this shit, not for one second. I'd wait and get the game from the marketplace when it's finished - no matter how long it takes.

After 65 games on Bond Pro and a few on a prem, I've never hit all the Spectre targets at once... not even close.
In fact (.7 or .8 code doesn't really matter), I've only qualified the Spectre weapon (hit all targets and spelled Spector) about 6 times and it's always on accident - just respective shots to the rocket area and prey - no real skill involved.

Maybe others are having better luck or know a secret...

I've checked setup and Spectre is on "easy". I'm hoping in the future an "easy" setting means that you won't actually need to hit specific targets but maybe just any standup Spectre target to get any letter remaining....

Contact stern tech support. I had this issue and there was a simple
Jumper on the board that was In the wrong spot. But I don’t remember where it was.

Spectre Drop Targets
Anyone else getting BRICKS when hitting the Spectre drop targets? (targets don't drop when hit hard). Direct hits from flipper shots make me relive the bricks I'd get on the Scolari brothers on Ghostbusters.

Looking back most of us who had the issues on GB bought tighter springs or just tightened up the existing springs to make the "pull" have more tension.
I'll be tightening the springs tomorrow to see if it helps. (my Bond pro is on location).

Anyone else having this issue?
(note: there are YouTube videos on tightening the springs)

Yep! On my pro. Haven't messed with anything yet

Check out this post and the one immediately following it.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/guardians-of-the-galaxy-owners-thread/page/48#post-4456224

Apparently you’ve never owned a Spooky game lol.

Also, go listen to any of the interviews with George Gomez. He explains everything.