Do Stern Premiums drop in price, nib, after awhile?

I'd go Pro, but it's always nice to have options.

I wish but the answer is no. They might raise in price though, seen that happen several times.

Pro 100% looks fantastic value - ball eating trex doesnt cut it for me - you still have trex above ramp
Premium has no major differences like extra flipper, lower playfield like in munsters, acdc etc

Pros are always good value, but that T-Rex is awesome, not to mention the raptor pit

I was going to go pro, but think the non moving rex and raptor pit/moving raptor will remove from the atmosphere of the game. Not to mention, I dont care for the pro art personally, where as like the raptors. Looking forward to playing both, pro will be a great value on this one!

If the Premium added full RGB lighting like it did in GOTG and others this would be an easier up-sell for me. I'm not sure why Stern has pretty much abandoned that other than it appears the majority of us don't really care about it.

I think this is a nice middle ground for a pro. I like that essentially it shoots the same (similar to ST) which has extra movement to the Vengeance ship and the up kick scoop but otherwise is very similar.

I love the pro versions to TWD and Met because they are simple and don't stop the ball like cross bow and hammer but I think both versions of Met and TWD and probably Maiden and DP are great too (have not played enough Maiden or DP to say for sure).

It's great that Stern was able to offer so much in the pro that it doesn't feel like it's missing that much.

I go back and forth, will play the pro and decide. I think the pro is fine but that if it's a keeper then I'll likely spend the extra for the premium due to art and T-Rex and Raptor pen.

I think the Raptor pen is still ok on the pro but maybe just a nice extra feature on the premium like the up kicker scoop on ST (not something to make or break the game but just make a great game a little bit better).

I will say this if Stern can make pros with this level of ramps, spinner, almost full features to a premium than JJP is in trouble with pins starting at $7500 the Stern pro will dominate on location. Also in this time where people are buying more pins into their collections its a lot easier to buy something at $5300 than $7500-9500.

On pinside, asking this question when it first comes out will always net you an answer of 75% is for the premium.

In short, know your audience.

I have played both.

If you like a better shooter and the most bang for the buck the PRO is the way to go.

If you like the big toy then go for the premium.

It is really that simple.

Pro is the way better shooter. That is what I care about so that got my vote.

Worth note, that tree toy on the premium is going to be a nightmare to keep working right. In a home environment, no big deal. Anywhere else. No good.

Most importantly, go play them together and then decide for yourself. You may be surprised

What makes the pro a "way better shooter"?

I thought I'd post this here because it shows the differences, the only thing that looks different is the Raptor pen shot and not T-Rex to interrupt the ramp shot. I don't know how that is coded but it might make more sense for the T-Rex kind of like how the Vengeance toy can either trap the ball or kick back or the BG ramp on TWD it makes the game play different rather than a simple ramp shot every time.

I love the looks of premium just not sure $1800 more and the helicopter will likely be made for the pro as an ad on mod maybe even better than the premium.
Pro

Premium

Excellent post!! This side by side shows precisely the difference in the gameplay.

Not a huge fan of mods, but that trex would look even more menacing in some dark shades.
Someone make it happen.

Prem on this one for me

Pro looks packed and lots of fun
but..... unless it's a money issue Premium is the way to go on this one!!

Premium for:
1. Better art
2. Raptor pen mech
3. Moving T-Rex
4. Spinning heli blades
5. Bumper cap
6. Molded Raptor instead of decal on flat plastic
7. Because I can

great sum up. I forgot the bumper caps and the plastic Raptor doll.

I think the pro Raptor pen is great and fine and would haven been acceptable but the premium Raptor pen enclosure is a) more realistic because it's an actual gate and b) more interactive to lock a ball in there and c) has an in interactive Raptor toy.

Curious what makes the pro shoot better than the premium? Is it just less stop/go because of the T-Rex gobbling and Raptor pen trap? Or is there something that actually changes the feel of the shots? Could it just be a tweaking issue between the particular machines you played?

By tree toy did you mean T-Rex toy? Assuming autocorrect buggery.

Better flow. Ramp Dino in down is pretty clunky imho.

Pro is more GO
Premium is lots of pause.

I prefer the flow in this case.
Pro still gives plenty of breathers with posts and pause points, but not to much.

And yeah. Autocorrect crap for spelling

Gotcha...thanks. I do like flow...but I also like ball munchin' dinos. Maybe I should just drop a pro next to my Data East and have the best of both worlds...LOL.

The Dino is a very cool mech. But honestly, I won’t even think about buying one till I see if others have trouble with it. I would really like to check out that mech to see how robust it is made and designed. I don’t how cool a mech is if it ends up being a headache.

I still buy video games about 5 years after they are released... Just playing Witcher 2 right now, which is 8 years old. I just pretend new releases are just announcements coming in 5 years or so. My games cost 5 bucks. Waiting a year for a pin is easy.

So do you take a tranquilizer to calm your nerves while you wait?

Wow, thanks for the video post. The videos made me do a 180 on this one!

Now I'm leaning toward pro:

- Helocopter spin is meaningless as it is on a wireform.

- T-Rex may be a problem mech, and if it isn't, it will stop flow in what I see as a bad way. If it was a lock and hold and spit for multiball, it would be a good break before a new launch, but mid ramp (don't really like spot, but slightly different) isn't the best place to stop flow.

- The gate works very well with the raptor pen on the pro. This is where the real debate is to me. Is that ball capture/captive ball-to-target portion of the game outbalance the negatives above? I think not, especially for the money. Vote changed!

If I was buying based on videos and value, like OP is, I'd go pro all the way. Save those Canuck bucks for some overpriced and overtaxed beer!

Hate to break it to you but pro stops on the up post instead of trex mouth so equal opportunity flow stopper on both models

Edit: thanks!!

Pro seems like it will hold up a lot better. I learned my lesson on Ghostbusters with awful moving slimer.

sk8ball (Keith) is the designer so he knows what he's talking about, the T-Rex ramp leads to the left inlane which would then stop the ball on the up post. I have not watched the video of the pro yet.

Oh crap, totally forgat that was Keith. Thanks for clearing that up.

Keith who is that in your Avatar picture?

I believe that's Spalding from Caddy Shack?

You are correct.

OK haven't seen that movie in like 35 years, need to watch it again, have no idea who Spalding is. 2335ebc6ae3483b3f86429c9b0c58ea0 (resized).jpg

Geez. The nerve of this sk8ball guy trying to tell us Pinsiders how this new game works.
Who does he think he is - the game's designer or something?

Neither do I, but he makes a pretty good baseball mitt.

And golf balls

Hmmm...genuine Spalding pinballs?

I think with JJP in the mix, it made Stern get more creative on their games and to their credit....they hit a Grand Slam. I think this game looks great and the play looks awesome.

Way to go Stern!

I want a hamburger....no, a cheeseburger.

I think it’s just good leadership hiring talented people.

Simple, buy both.

You'll get nothing and like it!

Keith Elwin, stopping flow for pinballers everywhere.......

.......said no one ever.

I would have to see and play both games but the ball eating T Rex just seems like a big nothing burger to me. The raptor pen seems nice but not a must have either. Im leaning pro for now but that could obviously change afer playing the two models.

Basically if money is no object get the premium but if it is there is damn sure nothing with owning this pro model here because it is super sweet!

I agree with you, but it's funny that pinside, myself included, have been complaining about a lack of interactive toys for years. They give us a killer one and we all yawn. #cantwin

Agreed, I have 6 pinball machines at home, 3 Stern and 3 JJP. The rocking Pirate Ship with aimed cannon shot is easily the most polished, non-cheesy, mech for me.

I'm a sucker for Jurassic Park stuff though, so I'll be getting the Premium JP with the goofy animated T-Rex in all its Glory!

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Some toys are cool and some arent. I'm not even saying that this one isn't cool, it just didnt seem all that cool when i seen it on the dead flip stream. Seeing it in person may absolutely make me change my mind as i have done several times before. I have a friend that is getting a premium so i will be able to play the pro and premium both and see for myself if i like it or not. It's not a bad toy, i just dont know if it's worth 1700-1800 extra is all.

Not to derail the topic but I love that rocking ship. I can keep the ball longer there than I can on the main playfield.

I voted Prem JP2. Not sure if I will get one, I need to play both first.

I played both the pro and premium models at Replay FX. The T Rex on the premium moves around while you play before you activate it, so it seems a little more alive. The pro is just static all the time.

Home = Premium unless the extra cash is not worth it for you
Route = Pro

I only got one game on the premium because of long lines. I didn't shoot for the Raptor pen on the premium cause I wanted the T Rex to eat the ball and he did. It is very easy to active the T Rex, just shoot the Jeep a few times.

Looking forward to playing the premium in a home setting with compete code.

You describe the behaviour on the Premium, isn't it?