My advice would be to find somewhere that has the machines and play them both... If your family is a deciding factor bring them with. I would also play the Pre of GOTG too...

Hi C.J, welcome to the asylum.

It’s probably easiest if you consider you don’t need to get married to any game for life. Buy what you like and enjoy it for as long as you enjoy it for.

Do not buy any $5000-$8000 pin without first playing it!!! Take the whole family, make sure you enjoy it!

Play them both first. Don't rely on anyone's decision on what you buy. Everyone does not enjoy the same games in their homes.

Maybe not either of those games?

There are hundreds more to choose from that are not only cheaper, but you and your family may find them more fun.

SW now and GOTG in 6 months or so.

I personally think Starwars is a hard pin and can be frustrating to a beginning player . Plus the price increase over the pro isn't worth it . You could get guardians and a cool SS pin . I would highly going and playing them first before buying . That way you do t take that nib hit if you don't like it .

I would play them first I personally like star wars more as a tournament player because of the rules but the game has too many glitches at the moment. GOTG I did not like it because it's too simple. But, if these are the two games you are only interested in go with GOTG it does have a few bugs but not as bad as star wars.

I agree with that, I would go SW pro and GOTG pro as well, SW just needs to be set up perfect then the its a really fun game.

My advise is buy what you prefer, sorry to report kids have limited, if any interest in playing. My grandkids would rather play puppets with the boxes and make forts. My nieces and nephews are older will play some but they are here maybe 3 times per year. They like Aerosmith, Ironman, Attack from Mars and Hobbit.

I do like Star Wars (probably would get pro) and have no opinion on Galaxy never touched it. Are you sure you don't want to expand your search? Good luck

I would tell you to buy neither... go play games and find one you like.

Buying NIB games is not really 'needed' for unexperienced owners. NIB games will break the same as older games. They require the same maintenance as used games. The point is just to buy a used game that isn't already a baske case.

I have a SW Premium myself, and have played SW Pro & GotG Pro. GotG for me at this point is a non-starter due to the seriously incomplete code and video design. That leaves SW Pro & SW Premium. For a family environment that you describe I would buy the SW Pro. They are both great games, but the SW Premium is frustrating to decent player like myself, and has been extremely frustrating to my son. He is a beginner player and SW fanatic, who walks away PO'd after a game or two of playing my SW Premium.

Seriously, if you go NIB at this point, can swing the price of a Premium Stern, and are buying for the whole family, here is my advice: SpiderMan Vault Edition and buy a Color DMD for it.

SW can be a really hard and confusing game for newer players. I like it a lot because it's hard and has a lot of code to figure out. If you are dead set on a NIB I'd recommend SMVE unless you just hate the them. It does not have an LCD but is a very approachable game for newer players and still offers a lot for more advanced players. A beginner on SW may never start a multiball. Gotg is to new so I'd wait at least 6-12 months on it so the code gets further along and any issues get fixed.

Both games will have their fans and neither is a big standout at this point for what they represent. It's about personal considerations and preferences, so consider these points.

Theme is important to most people.

SW has less toys on the PF and is much more of a flow game (less stop and go). The LCD integration is great with voice and movie assets.

GOTG has a more toys and stuff on the PF and has less flow. The LCD integration is early but the community is saying no voice assets.

You can always buy and sell if a pin doesn't work out for you. And if you don't want to do that because you will lose some money then you should either travel to go play them or wait to see what shakes out.

Don't get me wrong I love my SW Premium (actually more of a Love/Hate as it is a tough pin), the theme integration on the SW pin, i.e. sounds & video is phenomenal! SpiderMan is also very good in it's theme integration, but it is MUCH more approachable & fun for all levels of players.

As for differences in play: The spring loaded TIE fighter is the same on the Pro & Premium. The difference in the Hyperloop/DeathStar shot makes that shot MUCH harder on the Premium. There is also an extra playfield post below the FORCE targets on the Pro that lowers the chances of a left outlane drain. That being said, the look of the metal ramps & habitrails and use of the hyperloop is pretty darn awesome.......

i was not impressed with Star Wars Pro. Even less so with the Premium. I don't think it's one of Stern's best-received games. GOTG looks more promising to me, but early reviews have not been great for that one either. Again -- play them yourself before buying. Make your own decision based on first-hand experience!

Don't entirely rule out older games, which could be much cheaper. Yes, a warranty is nice, but even with a brand new game, you WILL be required to do maintenance regularly. pinball machines are complicated and often need adjustment or fixing -- even right out of the box brand new. That's not a knock on Stern. Just an unavoidable fact of a mechanically complex system from a relatively small business.

Get Star Trek. It's better than both.

I like SW okay but that PF isn't Steve Ritchies best. The sound and code isn't too bad tho.

Haven't played GOTG but that code is OBVIOUSLY a ways from done. If you're REALLY patient and don't mind waiting for code (or will enjoy rediscovering tne game every time code drops) this one might be for you.

Star Trek has one of Steve's best PF's, reasonably finished/polished (?) code, and some awesome sound (PinBrower) and video (Color DMD) mods you can easily do. The OG space franchise is still the best, lol.

Yes.
It's never complete, and then they usually release big updates pretty quick that basically get everything in the game, and then more later to polish everything and fix bugs. That's the standard...some games you have to wait longer than others though.

Don't be in a rush. Seriously, you need to have the family play them.

You probably wont on either.
Look, unless you and the fam are going to constantly run into the premium version somewhere to see what you're "missing" you wont even know there's a difference. Some people don;t feel complete unless they have a higher version, not everyone is like that. I only buy Stern pros and I'm very happy.
Just dip your toe in on the first one...then once the fam is hooked you can float the idea of a higher version for the next machine.

or 4.

Agree with going for the Pro of either one. GOTG Pro is a particularly good deal since functionally it’s the same as the Premium, if I remember right.

Neither. Pick something else. IM, Metallic, Star Trek, game or thrones. AFM standard and you will be much happy.

I have a SWLE and love it, but then again over the decades I have learned I like Steve Ritchie Pins! I bought a NGG and I like the theme but the game was not for me. Got rid of it. Each machine is different and yes if you are considering such a large purchase, you need to play the game for a bit. It took me a while and code updates really enjoy SWLE so sometime a couple of plays may not be indicative of how good a machine is. With one exception. MM Yes, IMHO it is the ambassador of pinball. Of all my machines it is the one everyone gravitates to. All non pinheads love it. At partys and get togethers its the one that is almost being played non stop out of 10 top machines. AND very important here, its the only machine my wife plays! <---- Very Important

I have a TAF that my business partner likes but its meh to me, not bad but just meh.

Take your time, get you family to try and then decide, and like most of us, if you dont like it or get bored of it, move it on and get another, or start a family!

Well that does limit your choices. And that's too bad...

My advice was going to be neither. As a "newb" I'd steer you towards one of the games already acknowledged to be great. I'm not saying these games aren't great, but when stood up next to LOTR, or AC/DC, MET, Tron, so many great Stern games, they just don't have what it takes.

But it's just my opinion. Rock on.

My 2 cents. Never pay full retail. Lots of distributors to buy from. Choose the one that is the least greedy. The cheaper you buy the less you will get hurt when it is time to sell or upgrade. Pinball is very much personal preference. Everyone is different. I do not like star wars pro. However I think Star wars Premium is a much better game. GOTG Pro will give you a lot more features then SW pro. These are newer games so depending on your area there might not be these games accessible for you to try before you buy. Spend a day watching videos. You tube and twitch. Google search that will help you make the right choice for you and your family. Good luck and congratulations on getting into the hobby. It's a lot of fun.

Distributor with great prices and lots in stock.

Cointakers

570-847-9595 Melissa, Sales / Customer Support

https://cointaker.com

If you don't own a game yet and don't have access to play much then you will enjoy anything you pick. I still think SM is a great option but you can make any game easier and any stern pro will give you good value. Pick a theme you like and go for it. Shop around on price as you should not have to pay $5700 for any stern pro. I recommend Larry at flipnoutpinball but there are a lot of other good sellers around.

I think better choices would be in no.particular order ironman for 4k ( easy to sell at that price assuming good condition.) Spider-Man and Stern Star Trek.

I do tend to agree if you are able to get a good deal on a home use only game you should be in good shape. Pinside marketplace or Distributors such as Cointaker and others do have an inventory of preowned games. Also there are so many amazing games that they no longer sell new so you will have to buy pre owned. Pre owned in good condition is sometimes better then buying new in box. Some older games that have been sitting in a box for years could have issues. Also a brand new game 2 weeks old from factory could have issues. Buy from someone who is recommend and you feel comfortable with. Also reach out and ask if there are any local pinball techs in your area just in case if there is an issue down the road. No need to be scared. Pinball is fun buy.. play.. sell.. repeat. Keeps it fresh. Please hear this warning pinball is addictive. Buy one soon to have two maybe three. It's a fun disease to have and in most cases it is not terminal.

I didn’t see a GOTG on route but some other good NIB pins available. Aerosmith. Metallica. Attack from Mars. Medievel madness. Kiss. Ghostbusters. plus lots of other good pins for you to play. It’s worth playing before you spend that kind of money
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How old are your kids?

A place in our area got a Star wars pro...everyone wanted to play it and I think we did a couple of times but it was harder than most of the other pins the music was cranked and it had a draw factor that was very cool...

We have 8,14, 16 yr old.

Boy - 8 -The walking dead (TWD) (I'm sure because his brother said it was the best) Spent a lot of time with the Hobbit and likely our 5th pin
Girl -14 -Dialed In (Loved the selfies and phone App)
Boy -16 -TWD - Spent most of his time here and with ACDC but picked TWD
Wife -(Unknown) loved GOT...we both did actually theme, picking a house and then battling through...
Myself - TWD, GOT, Dialed In, and will likely get a GOTG.

Like your self we all like the GOTG theme and fan of the movies... but everyone has nailed it by saying try them out..

We were certain we were buying a Hobbit...and meh..it was okay. Very cool...but ended up buying 4 others none of them a Hobbit after playing them.

good Luck! post back what you decide!

Oh and recently added an Attack from Mars remake as well...that we have not played. But did play it on a friends console game and thought it was a lot of fun to play! as well. So many choices...we went all NIB if that helps as well.

Wife (Unknown)

Smart man.

I would strongly recommend Spiderman as your first machine.
It has great flow, rules designed by my favourite coder ever, a family theme, and is just plain fun.

Here's a great website that has videos for most games (not all of the newest though, like StarWars or Guardians) but you can watch a pro play the game and explain the rules:
https://papa.org/learning-center/videos/?target=tutorials

Lots of really good choices here. Like many have said, get out there and play a bunch of them. Star Wars is really fun and quite frankly doesn't deserve a lot of the Pinside hate it gets. I bought NIB (Star Trek) for my first pin, despite advise from friends to buy used and avoid the instant 7-10% hit you take for opening the box. I just wanted to get something new for my first since I had no clue how to fix things.

If you are a Star Wars fan, you need to play Star Wars, preferably in a home environment. Whatever game you pick, you will have a blast with it!

Played Gotg pro this evening a few times and liked it way more than Stern's other recent offerings. Lots of shots and playfield toys are what I like best and gotg has both in spades.

Being in Cincinatti gives you access to a lot of great sellers (miamiredskin is a cincy guy who sold me a LOTR) in OH, KY, and IN. Check out the what's for sale threads for those states on pinside. But my best advice is to wait and go to the Louisville arcade expo in March. It's getting bigger every year. I took my kids last year and played all the games I was interested in at the time. We ended up buying a Hobbit from Flip in out pinball (great distributor) and we are still loving it. Bottom line, play them first. A lot of money to spend without playing. Also, stay away from Walton' s Games in Cincinatti. Just trust me on this.

I played GOTG today and it was lackluster at best, probably because of the code. It has a set up similar to Metallica but not anywhere near the fun of Metallica. SW was pretty good, better than expected. I say you chose something besides those two. Much better choices.

Lots of good advice, the most important being go out and play these games and, ideally several more before you pull the trigger. There are a lot of different games from different eras that have their own fans.

If you are dead set on one of these new in box, then get a SW. I have an LE and love it, but it is very very punishing. My buddy has a pro and he loves his game. I’ve never played Gotg and can’t say anything bad about it, but I would still recommend SW over it simply because SW is basically code complete (or at least it sure feels like a complete game). Gotg is in alpha code, which is an experience I lived with on Batman 66 and do not recommend. Waiting for code for modes and proper use the lcd screen and callouts sucks.

Whatever you decide, congrats on your purchase. Be careful, pinball machines tend to multiply.

He ain't lying!

PS: if you go to a show, bring cash. I didn't know this the first time I went, but most of the machines are for sale (including the distributor floor models). You can buy and take home at the show. I played WOZ brought by Flip n Out early in the morning. Went back to play that night and he was wrapping it up. Luckily he gave me his show discount on my Hobbit because he realized I was a newbie and didn't realize I could buy on the spot. Did I say Larry was a good guy?

Warranties won't cover the bulk of what will actually go wrong in a machine. Broken wires, worn flippers, plastic breaking, something working loose, cleaning, broken rubber, etc. Warranties are more about 'dead on arrival' stuff... and electronics that are going to die in the first 30 days because it was marginal anyway. Once the game has really gotten past its initial burn-in of use.. The stuff that is going to fail is your normal wear & tear stuff. So in this regard, a relatively recent HUO game is bound to be LESS troublesome than a NIB because the new jitters are already done and in the past.

Frankly I don't think its a very fun game for 'casuals' as I would call them... people at your house for something else who play some pin just to check it out. They might find it cool to watch an experienced player play.. but there is certainly a big difference between games that are fun for casuals and not... and less games that work well for both casual and more regular players.

For casual players... games with an obvious 'bash target' are usually big hits.. or games with less punishing shots for missing or bigger shots.. or games that SPOT progress without hitting a specific target. WCS'94 is an example of this where the main shot is a big one, the game spots progress pretty easy... but the multiball shot is kind of hard. Data East games have the pitty multiball on ball 3 which is very 'casual' friendly.

The one caveat is games that are casual friendly tend to be more expensive than their peers.. because they will be popular for that reason. Great example, Theatre of magic, or ToTAN.

I'd tell someone to buy two easy, approachable games for $5k before telling them to buy a single NIB Stern just because they are worried about used vs new. NIB is an extreme premium whose real value is CONDITION - not piece of mind.

If you can't work on your games... you're going to need a reliable tech you can call from time to time... and they are going to charge the same if it's a 90s DMD game or a brand new Stern

Stern Star Trek is a great suggestion.

In Pro form its still pretty visually appealing... the game has 'bash' objectives and forgiving shots. It has a kickback (virtual at least on pro). It has recognizable music, fun dots, fun sounds, bright and modern looking. And now you can put in a colorDMD too

It's a game that both noobs and casual players can understand what to do.. and get some satisfaction even if its just doing vengence multiball.. or getting to klingon multiball.

Here on pinside I found these in the marketplace within a 4 hour drive of your location:
Wizard of Oz $6950
Ghostbusters Premium $6700
Game of Thrones Prem $6000
Metallica Pro $4100
Spiderman VE $6450
AC/DC Pro Helen $5335
LE Star Wars $7600

You can likely negotiate another 5-10% off most of these prices. Any of these would be better than SW/GotG, and there's even a SW LE if you MUST have one.