I'll be honest, this game was not on my radar at all. I am indifferent on the band...I won't turn them off, but won't seek them out either. The reveal, etc I thought looked decent, but nothing that had me too excited. I finally got to play one a week or so ago, and holy hell, this might be the best shooting game I have ever played. Not exaggerating, the shots are so satisfying...especially the right ramp and the side ramp. I didn't get much feel for the rules, but later watching the RayDay tutorial, I have to say they are not all that intuitive, but definitely interesting. Lots of depth and unique rules for sure. It's one I can't wait to dig deeper into.

By contrast, I was super pumped about Mandalorian. Huge fan of the theme, playfield looked fun and interesting, good, straightforward rules. It was a slam dunk machine for me, 100%. I've played a few different ones now and...meh. I just can't seem to get into it. It's not bad by any means, and maybe it will grow on me, but I'm really glad I didn't sell anything for one.

Just goes to show how initial impressions can be completely wrong...especially before actually flipping a machine. I never in a million years thought I'd be saying I have no interest in Mando but am looking around the gameroom pondering what I can sell for a Led Zeppelin!

This might end up being a machine kind of like Stranger Things, where it gets lost in the shuffle and dismissed until more people get a chance to actually play. I just can't imagine anyone who is a fan of smooth, flowy games not enjoying this.

Every. Machine. Ever. Made. Dimples. (ok fine except those couple with plastic playfields..)

Wood vs Steel

edit: OK sorry...that sounded like more of a jerk answer than intended. But seriously...all pins dimple to some extent. Some are more noticeable than others. Many older machines have smoothed out over the years and thousands of plays. Lighting and artwork makes a huge difference in seeing them. Clearcoat quality does seem to have some effect, and there probably is something to softer wood being used over the years. But all that aside, every machine has and will dimple. Some of the conspiracy theories and people who claim up and down that B/W games didn't dimple are hilarious.

I'm pretty sure the EM spinner is the most satisfying spinner I have ever ripped. It's an odd location for a spinner, which I really enjoy, and man does that sucker spin like crazy when you nail it. Add the magnet catch and disappearing act, and I find it a ton of fun. I have admittedly never played a pro, but removing that mech and turning the side ramp into a dead-end target shot do not seem like changes I could be content with. I'm glad so many enjoy their pro, but in this case the upgrade would be worth it to me.

Hoping to join the club sometime soon! This is one of those rare games that I can't stop thinking about since finally playing it, which is weird as it wasn't even on my radar before. Even Godzilla, while amazing looking, hasn't lured me away from wanting LZ next (though of course, I haven't played GZ yet). Those LZ shots are just so freaking good. And the rules are so unique and interesting. I never get sick of watching RayDay's streams. Man I wish I could play like that!

Plastic protectors usually go under the plastics. You can then safely remove the washers (or keep them if you want even more protection I guess). They look so much better without the ugly washers causing big round shadows on the plastics. For some of my games without protectors available, I simply swap out the stock washers with the clear plastic ones that Pinball Life sells. Big improvement and still gives protection. Honestly that's probably all that is needed in most cases.

Joined the club this week with a premium! Man the art is a huge, stark contrast with the rest of my machines (in a good way)! The gameplay is just so damn good. I would rank it right up there with Steve Ritchie's best machines. And the code is amazing. Just super well thought out, unique, and well executed. It makes me sad that this game doesn't get more respect as in my opinion it's top tier all around and the team should be very proud of it. My wife and daughter both really enjoy it too, and it's not too often my wife gets excited about playing. She took to it right away, same as I did. There's just something about this one, and I'm not even a huge Zeppelin fan (they are fine, but it's not one that I am drawn to on theme alone).

My wife refers to the Electric Magic as the drive-thru car wash. I think that's going to stick, LOL!

Very few issues out of the box on this one...must less than average. My left scoop switch needed a wire resoldered (was very intermittent and barely holding on), and I gave the flippers a little adjustment as they were a bit tight against the playfield bushings (wasn't affecting the flipper strength, but didn't want it getting worse). It's an early build, but so far zero issues with the Electric Magic. Most satisfying spinner I have ever ripped! No rejects from the saucers. Total win in my book!

Happy to be in the club with this hugely underrated machine!

I love this weird, wonderful thing. Equal parts ridiculous and awesome.

462B6DE1-B557-4CD4-B616-E3EA92B7A5EC (resized).jpeg

Yeah it definitely seems designed with the premium in mind. I think it would look silly on an LE, and even a pro. But it fits like a glove (a very strange, drug fueled glove) on the premium.

I think I might break down and spring for the side rails too. Man I am a sucker...

Picked up the armor at MGC. Much like the shooter, it’s kind of strange, but I love it!

120EDA37-F72F-458B-89D9-B62AFA7AB3E3 (resized).jpeg

A5F50EDB-85FF-4E29-8A6F-898B76ABE6FA (resized).jpeg

BD976339-8BA0-4D11-B497-3A711072EA6D (resized).jpeg

Totally agree...the EM is one of my favorite pinball toys, and definitely one of the best spinners ever. And that side ramp, while insanely tough to hit, is super satisfying. I've actually never played a pro, and I'm sure I would still enjoy it, but to me this is one machine where the premium bump is completely justified. Even more so when you factor in the crazy lightshow (yes, available on the pro, but included on prem/LE).

So you can’t lock a ball in the other saucer for the four ball anymore? That would be terrible. I can’t imagine that’s the intent.

Just confirmed...it's not just you. They ruined EM Multiball. Sure, the lights are cooler now, but at the expense of functionality. I sure hope this is just a bug that they go back and fix, and not intended operation, because it sucks big time. No more knocking the ball off the magnet. No more 4 ball. Went from one of the most fun and unique multiball set-ups to just another generic mode. Super lame.

I'm usually the first one to defend Stern, but man...between this and the BK:SoR fiasco, you have to wonder if they even bothered loading the new code into a test machine before pushing them out publicly.

Wish I wouldn't have done this one or the BK one. Hopefully they fix them up quickly. If this one isn't a bug, but the new intended behavior, I hope I can find the old code to roll it back. Prettier lights isn't worth ruining a nearly perfect mode.

Same here. I phrased it as nicely asking Stern to fix it. I totally get issues happen, especially when dropping this many updates. But man...was it really worth rushing to get them out? I don't like piling on, but this and BK are very disappointing.

I’m fine with it if it’s a bug. Stuff happens. As long as it gets fixed I’ll be happy. I just wish they would start testing these things a little better. It would save them a lot of trouble in the long run. That said, pinball is hard, and I will not pretend to completely understand just how hard.

That’s fantastic news. Will be worth this bump in the road to get that sweet light show combined with four ball awesomeness in the end!

Definitely a good skill to learn. It can be a delicate balance too...too close and it can give false triggers (like you were seeing). To far apart and it can be unresponsive. Some of them can be a bugger to get to also. That leaf adjuster tool is really nice to have, and has two different shaped ends to help you snake into tight spots. The same method will apply to just about every kind of physical switch in the machines, pop bumpers, stand up targets, flipper buttons and EOS switches, even most spinners. Slings are probably the most common one needing occasional adjustment, since they get bashed alot and generally have more travel than most. Nice work figuring it out! That knowledge will definitely come in handy down the road!

I haven't heard, but BK was just fixed, which is also a Tim game. Assuming he's the one coding these fixes, I hope that means now that BK is done, LZ will be next shortly. Then again I'm sure he's working on something new as well, so who knows. Of course if someone else is actually doing the updates, that logic doesn't help, LOL.

It's definitely better that there is no art under it. But the clear will chip away. Whether or not that is really a problem is up to each individual. It's definitely not as noticeable as when there is art. My biggest worry would be if once the clear is chipped, if the chip will keep getting bigger until it is into the art. I have no idea if that will happen or not though. Either way, that playfield is definitely already dented under that, and likely was since day 1 when it was tightened. So if you put a washer under it, you'll still see the dent. Screwed either way, LOL.

Nope, but it's got it where it matters! The glory of EM Multiball returns!

I'm downloading now, but it's one of only two things in the read me!

Never trust the bubble. They are rarely correct.

If I remember right I am at around 6.7-6.8 and it feels great to me.

Yeah I agree. I mean...you'll get it to sound different, but being the entire ruleset is choreographed to the specific songs, it's going to be weird. This isn't like other machines where the songs do not really matter. The rules literally change for choruses, refrains, guitar solos, etc. It's freaking brilliant how they did it. I feel like you'd really mess that integration up by changing out the songs. Of course, everyone is free to do as they wish with their own machine. Whatever makes you happy!

Always level on the playfield, not on the cabinet. Lots of reasons why they might not match. The playfield is what matters.

Most playfields have some minor variation due to warp, wood inconsistency, slight insert levels, etc. But it shouldn't be more than a couple tenths of a degree. Also remember that any slight angle difference in where you set your level can make a difference. If you are seeing large differences, I would discuss with Stern. Otherwise just kind of average it out, putting more emphasis closer to the flippers.

But really, the bottom line is if the shots feel good and you are happy with how it plays, that's all that matters!

Hmm...1.12 (I think that's the latest...) was created to fix that issue (it was broken in the code before that). I would double check that you are on the newest code. If so, it sounds like there might be an issue with the opto. Check to make sure all the connections to them are good, clean them, make sure nothing is blocking them, make sure they are aligned, and make sure there aren't any bad solder joints. Good luck!

I would maybe check your level if you have that hard of a time making the center ramp with the EM up. It should be a pretty easy shot from the left flipper, either from a cradle or flowing. I have made it from the right flipper shooting through the EM, and that's a super cool shot, but I cannot do it consistently.

I'm a premium guy on LZ for sure as I LOVE the EM (or as my family calls it, the drive-thru car-wash ), and the side ramp is super satisfying. But I would never knock the pro either...still lots to love there. People call it barren, but 3 ramps, a drop bank, a spinner, a jumping custom molded toy, and a static custom molded toy doesn't scream stripped down to me. And heck...that right ramp is so amazingly satisfying, if the game was nothing but a flat board with just that ramp, I'd still love shooting it, LOL. Backhanding that ramp alone sold me on the game!

I have owned SW pro (and want another one), and currently own a LZ prem and a JP pro. If you like how SW shoots, I think you will love LZ. They have similar speed and flow. LZ has more ramps, and they are much more satisfying to me. The side ramp is a big bonus vs SW. SW has slightly more speed/flow due to the awesome inner loop and ability to make a full right orbit, which LZ does not. Both have dumpster fire ball launch paths...for how much Steve Ritchie is the king of flow, I have no idea why he does crap like this with his ball launches. I find LZ slightly less dangerous there, with less launch/drain/launch/drain combos, but it can still happen. Overall I would say LZ is a safer shooter all around, leading to longer ball times in general. Think more along the lines of Spider-Man.

Code is very different between the two, though they have similar depth, and both are awesome. Star Wars, with its many open paths offers a chance to see basically the entire game (minus Jedi Multiball) very "close to the start button". Depending on the character you pick, you can see any of the 4 planet multiballs within one mode completion, and none of the other modes are difficult to reach (well...Fett can be a pain). LZ on the other hand keeps more "big stuff" further away, with tons of stuff to see leading up to it. Ten song modes, plus the tours give you many choices to see unique modes early on, but you will not be seeing stuff like Top of the Charts, World Tour or even Mothership every game. That doesn't mean they are unreachable at all, but it's an accomplishment to get there. The only really tough accomplishment on SW is Jedi Multiball, and maybe Victory multiballs. I'm not saying SW is easy, but it is pretty easy to see almost everything within a few games.

Star Wars rules are very well integrated. I love how Dwight married the playfield to the rules. Stuff like aim a turret left or right by hitting the left or right ramps, then fire by literally shooting the tie fighter. That's good stuff, and SW is full of things like that. LZ kind of turns standard rulesets on their head by having everything revolve around the actual music. It was jarring at first for me that the music never changed going into multiballs or even wizard modes, but once you understand the logic, it works beautifully. The way the lit shots flow with the songs really pull you into the music in a way that is hard to describe. Combined with the side lights really makes an immersive, concert-like experience. I know that is something people love about GnR, but honestly I think that feeling is captured better on LZ.

OK, I've babbled long, but just to touch on JP. I have owned JP pro twice. I really enjoy the game, but it's a different beast. It's very unique in both layout and code. The flow is there, and pretty awesome, as long as you are hitting shots. If you aren't, it is a miserable experience and an absolute clunk-fest. It's a great game all around, and deserves the praise it gets. That said, I enjoy LZ more, and if forced to choose, JP would be out. Most people would think that's crazy talk, but that's my opinion. LZ may be more of a standard "fan" layout, but it is simply friendlier and more satisfying to shoot. JP may be a current gold standard type game, but it's definitely not for everyone.

The Mothership one ties in really nicely to the mini-wizard mode, so that would be cool. But that Hermit one is really, really awesome. Tough call.

You aren't alone. If I remember right LZ and Mando came out right after the other. As I'm not a huge fan of LZ music (I like it but never bought an album, didn't know many of the songs were theirs, etc), and the layout didn't look amazing on paper, I didn't have any thoughts about owning a LZ. Mando on the other hand seemed like a home run...100% I would own it. Love the theme, amazing art, layout looked good. Then I played them both. I wanted so badly to love Mando, but it just didn't click. One game on LZ and I was grinning like an idiot. My 13 year old daughter had the exact same reaction with no prompting from me. We came upstairs to my wife and said, I think we're buying a LZ. Was the last thing we expected. I've played Mando a few times since, and always still feel like I'm trying to love it. It's grown on me a bit, and keeping track of the code updates it sounds like Dwight has made some big changes to things I was leary about. I am not against giving it a chance in the collection at some point, but I'm still not as excited about it as I want to be. I hope to prove myself wrong, LOL!

I can't imagine changing the songs on this game being the modes revolve completely around the music. The shots change with parts of each song, guitar solos, choruses, etc. It would be just completely random if you messed with the songs. Same with the expression lights. Nothing would integrate correctly anymore. That is one of the most amazing parts of this game....how the software actually takes the music and brings it to life on the playfield. It is genius theme integration in a way that has never really been done and it's sad so many people don't get it.

If this is a new development (not something that was this way from the start), I would guess either your scoop flap/deflector thing loosened up a bit, or bent back a bit from being smacked repeatedly. Try tightening first. Then slight bending. You could also try a bit of drop dead foam (if you can still find it) or something similar to help deaden the ball when it hits the flap.

Keep in mind with this particular game, the issue with changing songs goes beyond LCD integration and the back panel art. The modes themselves are integral to the songs, with lit shots, combos, etc changing with the music and parts of the song. For example, most guitar solos light the center ramp for looping combos during the solo. Lit shots change for refrains vs choruses, etc. It is some very creative and unique theme integration. You will lose that if you replace songs. Yes, it can be done, but you break that perfect integration. Same with the expression lights. These aren't just lights that randomly pulse with the beat like you can make a cheap set of Christmas lights do. They are programmed individually to the songs and work great with the music. Again, if you change the songs, this will no longer integrate. Having Stairway to Heaven playing while the expression lights go crazy because they were programmed for say Immigrant Song is going to look very strange.

Can it be done...sure. Should it be done? Ehh...it's your game...do what makes you happy. But it will destroy some VERY cool theme integration that this pin does not get enough credit for. If you do not care about the light show and rules matching the music, then no worries.

Nah...not a terrible idea. It is just that this one doesn't act like most music pins where swapping songs does not have any ramifications to the code behavior. I think if more people realized how this game works, it would get more appreciation.

I know at first it seemed really weird to me that the music doesn't change for multiballs or even wizard modes, but once I understood the logic, I fell in love with it. It is so underrated that it isn't even funny. We clamor for innovation, but when we get it we fail to recognize it or just write it off as weird. (none of this directed at you by the way...just in general!)

Easiest option is probably to remove the ramp to reinstall the blue nub. It isn't nearly as daunting as it looks. It wouldn't even need to come out all the way (so you wouldn't need to disconnect the opto). Just take off the wireform, remove the ramp mounting hardware, reinstall your blue nub, then put it back together. I'm guessing you could have it done in much less time than you spent trying to get the correct angle with your screwdriver.

If you do not want to do that, I guess it would come down to a shorter screwdriver or possibly a ratchet or right angle driver with a phillips head bit. But taking out the ramp is definitely the way to go here I think. You can do it...no sweat!