We want to buy our first premium. We’ve watched videos on Guardians, Batman 66, JP and others and those were the standouts for us. We have Metallica Pro, Star Wars Pro, Munsters Pro and No Fear right now and are enjoying them all. Which more modern Premium pinball should we consider? We are so torn, just wondering how the game play is on these.
Because you asked,.. my opinions..
Jurassic Park
Deadpool
Stranger Things
Batman66
Iron Maiden
In that order.
GOTG is a really great Pro. Deadpool is also a great Pro but the Premium is better.
Also. Sell your Star Wars and Metallica pros and replace them with Premiums. Both of those pins are MUCH better in Premiums! Huge difference.
Visit Pinball Pirate in Benicia. He has almost everything on display for you to play for yourself and then decide.
I think Guardians is the most approachable of those titles
Easy to follow rule set and a nice flowy layout
I’m also an advocate for the premium Guardians over the pro Guardians as the fully loaded RGBs make it look more like a JJP
Quoted from IdahoRealtor:Jurassic Park wins this matchup. BM and Guardians are still very good. JP is just better.
Also, if you ever buy Guardians I recommend the pro version. The additions in the premium are totally non-essential and the groot arms are terrible.
Should also add that since OP already has MET Pro, GOTG will feel very similar because of the shot layouts.
How about a different approach. The games you are discussing are fairly new. There are several really great games that have been out a while and have been discounted accordingly in the secondary market.
Sell the Met and buy an acdc prem. Or just buy the acdc.
Consider LOTR, TWD. Maybe a little dark depending on your family tastes
Star Trek prem is a great family game
Avengers, X men, Transformers can be had at the LE level for slightly less money
Or JJP Hobbit. A lot of value. (Heavy as hell, bring a friend)
Star Wars and Metallica pros are my two favorite Sterns along with Game of Thrones... so yeah, don’t sell those if you’re still loving them. After selling my pro versions I picked up premiums and they didn’t add enough fun to justify the cost.
JP is your best bet. All of your games are fan layouts... this will add some shot variety... it’ll also make you a better player as it can be a real ass kicker!
I'm gonna go against the grain and say bm66. JP is great, but dammit does that artwork suck. The theme is barely JP. Meanwhile Batman kills it with theme integration, ruleset and better art. Not mind blowing art, but still better than JP. Those three things cannot be argued.
JP has very fun unique shots and a better toy and better flow. You can't go wrong either way, but when you're essentially putting a piece of furniture in your home, looks gotta count for something.
Do you like your SW or Munsters better? One is complicated & brutal and the other relatively simple & easy. MET is in the middle. If you prefer SW, get JP2. Munsters then BM66. Guardians is like MET. This is purely based on layout and rules. Theme integration is great on BM66, and good on the others IMO.
Quoted from Hawks:I think Guardians is the most approachable of those titles
Easy to follow rule set and a nice flowy layout
I’m also an advocate for the premium Guardians over the pro Guardians as the fully loaded RGBs make it look more like a JJP
Like all these but have to agree Guardians is a fun one and has those huge satisfying ramps that go through the back of the machine, great music (Jackson 5, Marvin Gaye!), visually beautiful! Crowd pleaser. Also consider Star Trek premium...super stunning and a blast to play!
Quoted from GorillaBiscuits:Star Wars and Metallica pros are my two favorite Sterns along with Game of Thrones... so yeah, don’t sell those if you’re still loving them. After selling my pro versions I picked up premiums and they didn’t add enough fun to justify the cost.
JP is your best bet. All of your games are fan layouts... this will add some shot variety... it’ll also make you a better player as it can be a real ass kicker!
Good to know.. I currently love both the Star Wars and Metallica... we are enjoying all our pins right now. My family loves the Munsters and the easy ruleset makes it a favorite of guests too. I think I’m just going to do some light modding to the Star Wars and Metallica since I will probably keep them for some time. Star Wars is making me become a better player... love my No Fear so I wanted to try out another Steve Ritchie game. 
Quoted from titanpenguin:Should also add that since OP already has MET Pro, GOTG will feel very similar because of the shot layouts.
Good to know... My wife loves the art and we watched the videos but I didn’t notice it was the same layout. The game is pretty but I don’t want identical layouts.
Quoted from sulli10:How about a different approach. The games you are discussing are fairly new. There are several really great games that have been out a while and have been discounted accordingly in the secondary market.
Sell the Met and buy an acdc prem. Or just buy the acdc.
Consider LOTR, TWD. Maybe a little dark depending on your family tastes
Star Trek prem is a great family game
Avengers, X men, Transformers can be had at the LE level for slightly less money
Or JJP Hobbit. A lot of value. (Heavy as hell, bring a friend)
I’m currently really liking the Metallica pin but LOVE AC/DC as a band... is the game way better than Metallica? I know it’s much newer. I may actually sell this eventually or shoot just add AC/DC. We are bumping out our game room another 20’ soooo..... Gotta fill it. Is the premium much better than the pro?
Quoted from luckymoey:Do you like your SW or Munsters better? One is complicated & brutal and the other relatively simple & easy. MET is in the middle. If you prefer SW, get JP2. Munsters then BM66. Guardians is like MET. This is purely based on layout and rules. Theme integration is great on BM66, and good on the others IMO.
This is hard... I’m only recently really getting pinball skills, controlling the ball, etc. Star Wars is sooo much fun though. I’m not hitting the super high scores yet because I’m practicing bumping, catching, etc. but it’s by far my favorite pin. Then Metallica next but I do enjoy the Munsters shots too. My son favors Star Wars and then Munsters. My wife favors Munsters then Metallica. We all love and play No Fear, we have had it forever and it’s fast and fun.
Quoted from kingau:Go for JP... it will fit in with the other pins, the shots and layout are amazing.
In your opinion is JP hard for beginners or is it enjoyable for both because it has a lot of depth in the rules?
Quoted from luckymoey:Duplicate
Since this was based on my collection now too no not really... Was looking for opinions around this as I’ve not been in the hobby long and have already gotten amazing advice here that I would not have gotten through other threads... such as my Metallica and GOTG have very similar layouts and feel, etc. Thanks for your help.
Quoted from luckymoey:Do you like your SW or Munsters better? One is complicated & brutal and the other relatively simple & easy. MET is in the middle. If you prefer SW, get JP2. Munsters then BM66. Guardians is like MET. This is purely based on layout and rules. Theme integration is great on BM66, and good on the others IMO.
Those are good comparisons thanks... I will share with the familly.
So you asked for people's opinions and because you didn't like mine you downvoted it. Interesting... even after I gave you a recommendation for a place to go play all of these pins new (and free).
Norcalrealtor downvoted too.. I'm guessing because he likes metallica pro?
Well this is going to earn me some more downvotes..
Like it or not people, stern pros are pinball "lite". You're paying a lot of money for a machine that's missing key components that the design team put into a game. Pros are designed for operators to put on a route. Less parts, less maintenance, less cost. Imagine if Williams had made a MM without a 3D castle that blew up and without trolls. It's not the same game.
Star Wars without the hyperspace loop is boring. Metallica without the hammer/coffin lock or graveyard drop targets is lacking. And NO the hammer doesn't block your view.
Having said ALL that, GOTG is an excellent pro. It does have the Metallica playfield though.
And I agree with a comment above, another fantastic choice would be TWD Prem. That's another great game.
JP Premium for the win!
Quoted from imagamejunky:So you asked for people's opinions and because you didn't like mine you downvoted it. Interesting... even after I gave you a recommendation for a place to go play all of these pins new (and free).
Norcalrealtor downvoted too.. I'm guessing because he likes metallica pro?
Well this is going to earn me some more downvotes..
Like it or not people, stern pros are pinball "lite". You're paying a lot of money for a machine that's missing key components that the design team put into a game. Pros are designed for operators to put on a route. Less parts, less maintenance, less cost. Imagine if Williams had made a MM without a 3D castle that blew up and without trolls. It's not the same game.
Star Wars without the hyperspace loop is boring. Metallica without the hammer/coffin lock or graveyard drop targets is lacking. And NO the hammer doesn't block your view.
Having said ALL that, GOTG is an excellent pro. It does have the Metallica playfield though.
And I agree with a comment above, another fantastic choice would be TWD Prem. That's another great game.
JP Premium for the win!
Actually tried to upvote didn’t mean to hit the downvote my dude.... Thanks the advice.
Quoted from imagamejunky:So you asked for people's opinions and because you didn't like mine you downvoted it. Interesting... even after I gave you a recommendation for a place to go play all of these pins new (and free).
Norcalrealtor downvoted too.. I'm guessing because he likes metallica pro?
Well this is going to earn me some more downvotes..
Like it or not people, stern pros are pinball "lite". You're paying a lot of money for a machine that's missing key components that the design team put into a game. Pros are designed for operators to put on a route. Less parts, less maintenance, less cost. Imagine if Williams had made a MM without a 3D castle that blew up and without trolls. It's not the same game.
Star Wars without the hyperspace loop is boring. Metallica without the hammer/coffin lock or graveyard drop targets is lacking. And NO the hammer doesn't block your view.
Having said ALL that, GOTG is an excellent pro. It does have the Metallica playfield though.
And I agree with a comment above, another fantastic choice would be TWD Prem. That's another great game.
JP Premium for the win!
Would you say the GOTG is worth the upgrade to Premium? It won’t be my next purchase after this thread... I think I’m going to try and get a JP and a Batman 66, then maybe a GOTG eventually after my wife’s sticker shock wears off. LOL. She loves them too but it’s not a cheap hobby.
And thanks for the recommendation of a place to play... I really did not intend to downvote.
Quoted from Krupps4:JP Premium - If you can find one...
Running when Stern gets back open, correct?
Quoted from GeekedOnPinball:I’m currently really liking the Metallica pin but LOVE AC/DC as a band... is the game way better than Metallica?
AC/DC is very, very good, but I think the general consensus is that Metallica is better (see rankings). AC/DC is not newer. It came out the year before Metallica.
"Is the premium much better than the pro?" This varies title by title and is fairly subjective. Best to play first and decide for yourself.
Do not listen to the guy saying pros basically suck and are only for operators. I am an operator and that's the most bogus thing I've read all week.
Quoted from Doctor6:I'm gonna go against the grain and say bm66. JP is great, but dammit does that artwork suck. The theme is barely JP. Meanwhile Batman kills it with theme integration, ruleset and better art. Not mind blowing art, but still better than JP. Those three things cannot be argued.
Yes, they can certainly be argued.
Op, BM66 has been gone for 4 months and hasn’t been missed at all. Good coding but not great depth in my view. Owned it for 8 months.
I had a GOTG Pro for 9 months. sold it in February. It’s currently back temporarily with me for loaning a friend my JP Pro. Guardians is a fun game. I was happy to have it back temporarily but haven’t touched it in 3 weeks.
I’ve owned the JP Pro since September, 8 months, and I can’t wait to get it back.
If you’re in the market for a premium, don’t overlook Elvira House of Horrors. It’s substantially better than both GOTG and BM66.
ALWAYS try to play before you buy. What someone likes here, you may not like. I was sure I was going to love BM66 but it largely sat for the 8 months I owned it.
metallica, acdc, jp, all great games. not a bad choice in the bunch. but id go jp before the others.
Quoted from IdahoRealtor:"Is the premium much better than the pro?" This varies title by title and is fairly subjective. Best to play first and decide for yourself.
Do not listen to the guy saying pros basically suck and are only for operators. I am an operator and that's the most bogus thing I've read all week.
This! ^
Sometimes the added features for the premiums become the biggest headaches to deal with and may not be worth the extra $$$.
Quoted from GeekedOnPinball:Would you say the GOTG is worth the upgrade to Premium? It won’t be my next purchase after this thread... I think I’m going to try and get a JP and a Batman 66, then maybe a GOTG eventually after my wife’s sticker shock wears off. LOL. She loves them too but it’s not a cheap hobby.
And thanks for the recommendation of a place to play... I really did not intend to downvote.
Once again, just my opinion. GOTG is the only pro I've ever purchased and it's great. I bought it lightly used for a good price and love(d) it. I only sold it because my next door neighbor loved it and REALLY wanted it. So I still play it a lot.
I have played a premium. I can't say I really noticed much of a difference in the 1 vs 3 magnets. The groot arms look great but they do cover some of the view. The upgraded lighting looks great. Is it worth it? Depends on the price you can find one for.
And if you're going to keep MET I wouldn't buy a GOTG before some other games on your list. The playfield is almost identical.
Be sure to play a DP Prem too. SUCH a blast to play. VERY FUN.
And I agree with Bryce. ACDC is great too
Quoted from IdahoRealtor:Do not listen to the guy saying pros basically suck and are only for operators...
Its great for lawyers, accountants, and the other "cream" around here 
For people like me, it's bullshit. 
Plenty of reasons for getting a premium or pro, nothing wrong with either.
I had ACDC premium and feel like it’s well worth the upgrade from the pro. It’s lower PF, cross over ramp etc.. it’s a great great pin.
I can’t say if I like Met or ACDC pin better both are great but imo ST premium is a lil bit better than ACDC premium if I had to pick a Steve Ritchie pin (SM and SW also great).
However it’s up to the individual person what I like better might not be the same as you. But the point being there are a ton of great pins to pick from.
Quoted from GeekedOnPinball:Thanks for all the amazing advice!! This place is amazing!
Wait...6 years and only 12 posts? You, pinbud, are the amazing one!!!
These all sort of end the same...no right answer, no wrong answer...just personal preference.
Hope the one you pick is a blast for you and your family!!!
( nothing better for me to read than families enjoying the pins...I don't care what game it is)
Quoted from imagamejunky:Having said ALL that, GOTG is an excellent pro. It does have the Metallica playfield though.
Now codes are polished, i was wondering what is the better game between GOTG and MET.
Theme of Gotg is much more appealing to me but i really love the drop target in-lane of Met. What about code/rules?
Quoted from colonel_caverne:Now codes are polished, i was wondering what is the better game between GOTG and MET.
Theme of Gotg is much more appealing to me but i really love the drop target in-lane of Met. What about code/rules?
Easily Metallica. The rules get wood-choppy as you get deep in the game going for End of the Line, but other than that the code is unique with some very fun modes. GOTG is as vanilla as it gets. Rehashed layout and rehashed rules, both of which were done better on the games it borrows from. I have owned and sold both. Metallica lasted quite awhile, and was always fun, but once you get better at it you realize how repetitive it gets. GOTG was one of my quickest in and out games. Big bummer as I'm a huge fan of the theme and it's a beautiful pin. Its just so generic, unfortunately.
Quoted from Jediturtle:Easily Metallica. The rules get wood-choppy as you get deep in the game going for End of the Line, but other than that the code is unique with some very fun modes. GOTG is as vanilla as it gets. Rehashed layout and rehashed rules, both of which were done better on the games it borrows from. I have owned and sold both. Metallica lasted quite awhile, and was always fun, but once you get better at it you realize how repetitive it gets. GOTG was one of my quickest in and out games. Big bummer as I'm a huge fan of the theme and it's a beautiful pin. Its just so generic, unfortunately.
Thanks for the input. Was your statement based on final code for them, especially gotg?
Quoted from colonel_caverne:Thanks for the input. Was your statement based on final code for them, especially gotg?
Yup. Don't get me wrong...both are very solid games. GOTG was just stale for me as I have owned multiple other games with nearly the same layout and nearly the same ruleset. There just wasn't enough to stand out against those other games...it was just more of the same, been there done that. If you've never spent a lot of time with Iron Man or Metallica on the playfield side, or Star Trek (or any number of other Lonnie games) on the software side, you might love it!
But my biggest pet peeve about GOTG...the mid-point mini-wizard mode is a completely unthemed mode that simply plays a song that happens to be in the movie. Just zero effort whatsoever put into that one. They could have at least had the Milano flying around the screen or something, but nope...let's just put some generic cherries and bombs up there since the song is named Cherry Bomb...brilliant! Why bother with pesky theming? That's kind of an analogy for the entire game, unfortunately.
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