With how drunk the dude that announced this was I figured maybe Stern was announcing "Octoberfest". What a joke!

Can't imagine George Gomez or the rest of the Stern brass will be too happy with the marketing team on Monday. Any time your product reveal involves a dick joke (white "wood") that's not putting your Company in a good light.

It's artwork. Likely the gauge for the skillshot.

I'd expect something similar as to when KISS LE came out. People forget that the band had an allocation of 50 LEs for that game as well. It's not the first time that a band has had a large allocation to themselves. In their case they autographed the apron cards and sold them for an inflated price to their biggest fans direct. KISS LE also had foil cab graphics and a real mirrored backglass like IMDN.

Even Metallica had a fairly large number of LEs reserved for their fanclub.

Get one of the $79 Polk external subs and the sound will be better than the LE. Anything more than a stock system with external sub is overkill.

I'm buying a Maiden Pro and not a Metallica. Better layout and less wood chopping in the ruleset.

Now Metallica is over $5k and doesn't even have a color display.

At this point I'd agree that it's smart to wait and see what the Premium/LE features look like before making a decision. I don't think domestic Pro's are supposed to ship until late May (after the LE's) which would give you some time. From what I can gather it seems like on this game that the LE/Premium features are mostly cosmetic. Pro is really just missing a physical ball lock and a lift ramp and has a standup target instead of a captive ball for the Orb shot. I can live without these which made my decision for a Pro an easy one. Figured I'd sock away the savings and put them towards KME's next game!

The timetable I was given from one distributor was:
Small batch of Pro's for U.S. locations and shows (namely MGC).-probably a few home games mixed in as well.
Pros for foreign markets
LE's
Large run of Pros for U.S. Market (Home and Location)
Premiums

This is a similar schedule as to what I remember Stern doing for Ghostbusters a couple years' back which was their last really hot title. It seems like Stern is really churning out games so hopefully they run more Pro's for the U.S. market before moving on to the LE's.

Yes. I explained this in a later post. The initial small U.S. run was intended to get the game out to the public (shows and some locations) and wasn't intended for collector homes'.-although a few seem to be getting games. The big run is supposed to be coming after the LE's.-at least that is what I was told from one distributor.

That's great! I guess I was fed some bad information. The wait was part of the reason I decided to order one of the MGC show games instead of ordering through another distributor and having to wait an extra month or longer for the big domestic Pro run.

Why do I get the feeling that all of the discussions and posts discussing the acronym has already exceeded the time and savings from not having to type a few extra characters going forward. I'm just going to call it Maiden and hope that the two characters don't fill up the Pinside servers

Isn't this the same thing that happens in Metallica?

This seems to be the case also on my game and a few of the other games at MGC that I've seen. When I get mine home I'll try to adjust and see if I can improve the strength. If that doesn't work I may try a slightly stronger spring.

I un-boxed my game at MGC last night and got around a dozen plays on it before having to leave. The game is amazing! I've been in the hobby since '04 and have played every new release game and I don't think I've ever seen another game that had this level of polish and breadth to the rules so quickly after release. At this point I don't even know what's missing or incomplete software-wise. Everything about this game feels well executed and thought-out. The layout has a ton of shots, speed, combos, loops and a good mix of tough, moderate, and easy shots. It doesn't really play like any other game that I can think of. The ramps I'd say are moderate in difficulty.-the left ramp is easier than it looks. The mini loop and super-jackpot shot are tougher to hit than I thought which is a good thing. The main loop is very repeatable and fun to hit. I love hitting the left orbit and then ripping off 3-4 consecutive loop shots! The power orb shot is actually pretty tight which is a good thing as it's not something you really want to hit "by accident". my guess is that this is by design. The spinner shots and the sounds associated with them are awesome! It's great to see a game with really good spinner rules. Lighting revive using the lower left spinner is a great rule as are making that spinner score double in Fear of the Dark. You can tell that the team behind this game put their heart and soul into it! I love that there are only 5 main modes in this game. I'd rather have 5 modes that are well thought out and feel unique than 125 modes that feel the same. The modes in this game are just as fun as playing the multi-balls which is rare in games today. The game doesn't play as brutal as games like TWD and GOTG but isn't easy either. I'd say it's just about right. Most of my drains came as a result of "playing loose" with the game and not being able to react to the speed.

As far as other aspects of the game go I think the artwork is phenomenal and may be the best looking modern game to date! The sound and callouts are all really well done and the music really fits pinball well. The display does a great job of telling you what you need to do and displaying where you are at. Yes the style may not match Zombie Yeti's artwork but when you're playing you don't care. It still looks good and does the job it needs to do. I think the lights and use of RGB lighting for the main shots on the Pro is really well done.

I really can't come up with any gripes or things that I don't like about the game. For a Pro model it doesn't seem like anything is lacking. I am looking forward to seeing what the differences are in the Premium but I am 100% satisfied with my decision on the Pro and can't imagine that the upper tier models will be "that" much more fun to play. I'm putting the savings towards KME and his team's 2nd game (whenever that comes and I don't really even care about the theme). From this point forward I'm really not interested in seeing what re-hashed designs the other Stern designers come up with. Now that I've seen and played this game which is totally original with a unique layout and excellent "code complete" rules, I think this is all I really want going forward. The only other NIB game I really have an interest in is TNA for similar reasons. -JJPOTC and DI are both excellent games but I won't consider them due to price but will gladly play them on location!

I'll provide an in depth review once I actually get the game home and spend more time playing it but my thoughts so far is that Stern really knocked this game out of the park!

Correct. The target is just 3 switches (outer ring, inner ring, center) that the ball hits and bounces off of after registering. There isn't a magnet which is a smart choice. If there was one it would get smashed and mangled as magnet cores are way softer than a pinball. The target works perfectly for what it's intended to do.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/looks-like-marco-specialties-is-giving-a-discount-at-mgc#post-4270006
As someone that pre-ordered an Iron Maiden from Marco for the show I can't recommend them enough! Great company and I would definitely buy from them again! Marco and everyone in the booth has been super nice and helpful and the process was really smooth. They even had a game unboxing party Thursday night. Excited to bring my game home after MGC tonight!

I have no doubt the LE will look phenomenal! I talked to Zombie Yeti at MGC and asked him what his favorite art package was of the 3 and he said the LE. He wouldn't give me any details but I'm sure you guys are in for a treat!

As far as the 50 games for the band thing goes I don't think the band will be sitting on them and giving them all away to friends and family. Chances are these will be sold to fans at a later date through non standard distribution channels as has been done in the past by other band machines. I remember Metallica had 50 LE's held back for the Metallica Fan club and KISS had 50 that they signed and sold (at an inflated price) directly to fans. I think the 50 games is just a way to make sure that some of the games make it to the Iron Maiden fans that aren't pinball guys which would have been left out in the dark otherwise for the LE.

They'll probably have 1 set up available to play with a sign letting the fans know where they can order one for $12K.

Agreed. I like Metallica more than Maiden as a band but Maiden is a better game which is why I own one of those and haven't picked up Met yet. Maiden has a far better layout, spinners on all models, better display and callouts, a rule-set that never makes you feel like you're chopping wood, etc. The best part about Metallica is the CIU modes for which you are lucky to get 1-2 per game typically. Maiden has really good modes available all the time as well as objectives such as loops and a great combo-system. It's really not even close in my opinion. And with solid/complete code out of the gate I have a feeling Maiden will be sitting atop of the top 100 in no time. It really doesn't have any weaknesses. Games like Met and TWD took close to a year from release before they were even fun thanks to Lyman's code.

I think it's a better Pro than even Metallica because it has spinners and color changing LEDs in the main inserts. It's really just missing a ball lock, lift ramp, and captive ball in terms of playable features.

Do you think the ball release for Sarcophagus multiball will be manual like it is on Archer? -basically you slam the captive ball to knock the balls out of the back. Or do you think they will release some other way? I know the balls will lock in via the left ramp (via diverter) but I'm also assuming they'll lock somehow using the subway under the lift ramp? Curious to see how it all works once we see pics of the LE/Premium.

Jim, thanks for keeping us updated on your shaker install problems. I've got a shaker on order and hoping that the shaker is actually programmed into the game and able to work under the current code and that are games are able to use shakers without extra caps for the node boards?

Good point. They must lower down into the underworld scoop as Jeffsarcade mentioned and then maybe eject via a vuk up to the back of the playfield between the 2 divertors where they are held for multiball? In Archer the balls went from a subway and ejected out of the lower left scoop there's no scoop in IMDN.

Yes. that's my understanding. I believe it's designed to work even when there's no ball behind it to transfer energy to.-so it's basically a switch that doubles as a newton ball when there are balls locked behind it. I wonder if the mystery orb will be some kind of clear sphere with a color changer in it?-maybe something similar to the Palentir in LOTR?

That would totally suck if the target grabbed and held the ball every time you shoot it. That target gets hit a ton in regular play and having a magnet slow it down would be a major downgrade in my opinion. It works perfectly as it is and I think it's a cool toy!

I think this is the new "King of the Pros". Maybe if Met Pro had spinners, color changing inserts and a color dmd it could compete. I want to like Met Pro but can't get over the dead orbit shots with no spinners.

Agreed. But Met Pros are over $5k shipped now and with a color dmd it's just about a wash price wise.

Thanks for the review! I wholeheartedly agree with everything you've said about this game. It's a masterpiece and I'm still amazed Stern was able to release a game that's this good right out of the gate with complete and polished code. It is already rivaling TWD as my favorite game of all time and that game took over a year for me to warm up to it (once Lyman perfected the code) and I had to replace the stock sounds to get rid of the Hillbilly guy. There really are no flaws in Iron Maiden. I reviewed it on Pinside and couldn't find really any areas to fault it. I guess you could say it has a lack of toys compared to some games but I'd honestly rather have my sub $6K IMDN Pro than any other NIB game that is available to play today. Toys aren't really necessary in games if you have a great layout and utilize what you have well. I'd take 2 spinners that are programmed well over a bash toy, moving playfield, or pop up toy any day of the week! The two hottest games on the market right now are IMDN and TNA and neither game really has any major toys so to speak.

A couple thoughts on the game:

1. KME deserves a ton of credit for nearly everything about this game but I'm really impressed with the rest of the team as well. A few of the guys are brand new to pinball like Rick the lead programmer and Harrison the engineer and they hit the ground running and delivered a great product on time and complete! I think in KME/Rick Stern has found a software/rules team that can rival what Lyman is doing on the other side of the Stern shop. Zombie Yeti absolutely killed the art package on this game! It's the best art I've seen on a Stern game. The guy that did the sound (Jerry Thompson) also did a spectacular job as did everyone else I didn't mention. I think these guys are going to push the other teams at Stern to do an even better job and I think we're going to see some of the best games we've ever seen out of them.

2. I really want to thank KME for including spinners on the Pro and actually developing rules that utilize them well! lack of spinners on Pro games is the #1 reason I haven't bought a Metallica Pro and opted for TWDLE over the Pro. I'm a Pro level buyer and will only buy a higher model if I've played it a ton and determined that it's one of my top 3 games of all time. I didn't buy my ACDC Prem or TWD until years' after they were initially released and after many hundreds of plays on route. If a Pro model has everything I want up front I have no problem jumping in early because the price is much more justifiable as I am not a wealthy person. I'm already saving up for KME's second game and as long as it doesn't skimp on the basic necessities like spinners then I'm a buyer.-I can also say that color changing lights are probably my second favorite feature to have in Pro models. I don't even necessarily care what the theme is as long as the game has a great layout and awesome rules.

The left ramp isn't too bad. I'd say it's only slightly more difficult to hit than the right ramp but it's probably psychological because of the pops. I'd say both are of moderate difficulty. The shots on the left ramp don't have to even be super clean. Quite often it will graze a pop bumper and still make it around. The right ramp is a more dangerous ramp to miss on. A weak right ramp shot will often end up in the left outlane.

I don't "like" the game but rather I "love" it

When KME was first hired at Stern I told myself and several of my collector friends that I was planning to buy his first game as long as the Pro model was based off the Archer layout and had 4 flippers and kept most of the gameplay features intact including spinners. I just knew that his game would shoot well and have really good rules. Over time the rumors changed over which game he was working on. Throughout the year I heard rumors of GOTG and Deadpool and finally Iron Maiden. I didn't really have a strong preference for any of them over one another. I liked all the themes but didn't love any of them or feel any special connection to the themes. I knew this is a title that I'd buy based on Keith and his layout alone. Let me just say after seeing and playing Iron Maiden I'm really glad that this was his game! I think the excellent artwork by Zombie Yeti really brings it over the top but everything about this theme and how it is implemented is awesome! From the music to the sound effects, to the callouts and just how the rules and modes are designed around the songs so well, everything is just executed perfectly! I know since buying the machine I've been listening to Iron Maiden's music a lot more and really growing to appreciate it more than I did before. Even if you aren't a Maiden fan I'd encourage you to play this game and just see how cohesive everything is and how well the theme is implemented and how it just makes for an excellent pinball machine!

I don't think Iron Maiden is any more of a "band" pin than Alice Cooper is. Iron Maiden doesn't feature any of the band members and doesn't focus at all on concerts or touring or playing songs on a jukebox or really anything related to music in general. Maiden is strictly focused on the Legacy of the Beast comic book and Eddie facing off against the Beast. Very similar to what's done in Metallica or Alice Cooper where the focus really isn't on the band at all.

Yep. I have over 100 games in on my Pro and agree. It's hard to believe that there's even a better version of it coming out (Prem and LE) that no one has even seen or played yet. It might just break the Pinside ratings scale

The modes do a good job of making you shoot the entire playfield. In "Rime" you start off the mode having to shoot all the left side shots. In "Icarus" you have to combo the ramps. The power features also make it so that you have to shoot ramps and orbits. You have to shoot for ramp combos a lot in single ball play if you want to make Cyborg multiball.

At the beginning of the ball (when ball save is on) I also try to go for that lower left spinner as much as I can to try and light "revive" and also to toggle the modes.

Nice to see that they borrowed an idea from the greatest Heavy Metal game of all time..... Heavy Heavy Heavy Metal Metal Metal Meltdown!!!!

Mine didn't and was PBL. Works great on 0.93 though!

GOT Premium.

Backglass looks nice but I prefer the Pro's cabinet art. A lot brighter looking than I expected that's for sure.

After digesting the pics and looking at the playfield mech differences I'm trying to figure out if the LE/Premium features are actually upgrades from a playability standpoint. The main differences from left to right.
1. Orb target-. I like that the Pro target is recessed and more difficult to hit because it's not a target you want to hit by accident. On LE it is shaped like a pinball and sticks out which makes it easier to hit. Advantage Pro.

2. Left ramp diverter- on LE it functions 3 ways. When diverter is down it functions as a normal left ramp. When it's up it either feeds the captive ball mech or feeds the upper left mini flipper. Will have to play to decide which is better. Will likely have less flow than the Pro when that diverter is up.

3. Captive ball mech- this is the biggest difference between the models. On the LE when there isn't a ball locked behind it it basically functions like a stand-up target whereas on the Pro it is always a true captive ball target. During mummy mb it is likely way more fun on the LE as you will have to lock balls in it and smash them out for jackpots. Big advantage LE during mummy mb. Advantage Pro during regular gameplay when there isn't a ball locked behind it and it isn't acting like a true captive ball.

4. Lift ramp and scoop on LE vs. fixed ramp on Pro - when ramp is lifted on LE it most likely acts like a scoop that can either lock the ball and hold it or fire the ball back out. On Pro the ramp is fixed so the ball just diverts to one of the upper flippers via the orbits. More flow and less stop and go on the Pro. Will have to play both to see which I prefer.

Aside from that most of the differences appear cosmetic and have to do with either lighting or the molded figures.

I don't think it's cost cutting but rather that it makes it easier for Stern to deal with warranty replacements. With all the playfield issues they had with ghosting a couple years back and having to ship customers populated playfields it's just easier when premium and LE playfields are the same vs. having to keep a bunch of signed and cleared playfields on the shelf.

I wonder if Iron Maiden will be selling their allotment of
close to 50 LEs direct through their website next week? Really why else would they be so close guarded with the LE pics and have the right to show them first unless they were planning on offering them for sale to their fans?

Speaker upgrade isn't needed but I would highly recommend connecting to an external sub. Mine sounds incredible! I also recommend the official Stern headphone jack as it also allows you to change the volume of the main speakers without opening the cabinet. Much easier to crank it up on demand!

All of Zombie Yeti's pinball artwork looks incredible! We are lucky to have him in the industry. I'm sure with the foil sides and mirrored backglass and the deep red side art it's going to look amazing in person.

No there isn't a line out for the sub on the Stern unit. What I do is take some standard speaker wire and solder it to the two lugs on the cab speaker and then run it out through the holes in the back of the cabinet. Your sub should have a speaker wire line-in. 5 minutes and you're up and running!

Amazon has the Polk psw10 on sale for $90 right now.

https://www.amazon.com/Polk-10-Inch-Powered-Subwoofer-Single/dp/B0002KVQBA/ref=mp_s_a_1_2

I've got mine hooked up to my infinity 500 watt home theater sub right now and it rattles the whole house!

I think your best bet is to go with instrumental versions of the Iron Maiden songs or instrumental versions of other music. Music from John Carpenter's "Lost Themes" might fit in well as it is dark and ominus and kind of fits in the Iron Maiden universe. I'd try it but I just like the Maiden music far too much to consider swapping it out!.

There are just too many callouts and things to work around with the screen and playfield text to go with anything that isn't either Maiden or instrumental.

At this point it's worth waiting until the LE gameplay reveal and Prem pics but my gut feeling tells me that the Pro is going to be the best looking and playing version of the 3. No lift ramps, ramp diverters, scoops or physical ball locks to slow the ball down and kill your flow yet it keeps all the flippers, spinners, RGB inserts and everything else that makes the game fun. And I like that the Orb target is recessed instead of sticking out. The cabinet art is going to be tough to beat for the Premium. I mean it's got "Killers" on the back box sides and "the Trooper" on the cab. I think it's hands down Stern's best Pro to date and they are going to sell a ton of them!

What current Pro model has more? Don't forget that this game has a full size LCD screen. It's similar to Met Pro in features but has 2 extra flippers, 2 spinners, extra jump ramp and triple target, RGB led inserts, better sound quality and light fading due to Spike. Sure Met has a couple of scoops and a bash toy but I think overall Maiden Pro offers more. Both games have metal ramps and a captive ball which is nice. Plus it's got nearly finished code out of the gate which is awesome!

I'm sure the LE/Premium extra features will be cool but I expect that Stern will get far more Pro orders than Premium following the reveal and gameplay.

Once you play one you aren't going to want to wait 3 years to own one Code is great and will be complete very soon too.

Just double-checked and yeah it does divert during Icarus and kill off any ramp combos you would have built up. Kind of a big deal for that mode at least!

They can but Icarus is a mode you typically want to stack with a multiball and if you can't stack it with Mummy that takes away a big part of the game.

Nice! Does it have the new match sequence and new FOTD animations?

Maybe a Cliffy under the lift ramp the prevent pf damage when ramp slams down (similar to TWDLE) and on the edge of the scoop kickout in the LE? The Pro shouldn't need any Cliffys besides shooter lane protector and trough hole edge protector.

Why does the Pro look like it has "Skittles" GI lighting? Factory should just be white.

Sure
Premium "upgrades"
-Red GI which looks dumb.-not my words. Lol...
-captive Orb instead of a stand-up which makes the orb shot easier which is a negative
-ball lock and lifting captive mech. Cool when it works but also a place for balls to get stuck and give you switch errors. Ball searches are great for when you want to sip your beer though
-lifting ramp and scoop. Makes your mode starts easier and shoots the ball back at your lower flippers as opposed to giving you a shot with the upper. I prefer the setup on the Pro.
- figure upgrades instead of flat plastics and the cool spinning flasher light thingy in the back.

Pro is the way to go on this one imo...

The problem with most LE/Premium features in games is that Stern underutilizes them in code. They don't typically want to make the game experience that much different from the Pro. Things like the Iron Hyde playfield in transformers, the GOT upper playfield, ACDC lower playfield, X-Men pop-ups, etc. just don't get utilized to their full potential and don't have very good rules built around them. Maybe that will change on Maiden but as of now I don't think the extra premium features give you that much extra as far as gameplay enhancements go.

I haven't owned either GB or SW but if I did I would pick up the Pro versions over the Premium. I've spent a good amount of time on both and think that the Pro versions of both games just play better and smoother. On Star Wars the plastic ramps on the Pro feel smoother and I like the way the horseshoe shot feels better without the jump ramp. It's nice that you can backhand the Death Star shot on the Pro which isn't really feasible on the Premium. The hyperloop is a really cool feature when you get it going but the game just doesn't feel as good to shoot compared to the Pro. On GB Premium the left ramp isn't nearly as smooth to shoot and I get way more airballs than I get on the Pro. Premium just feels clunkier and more brutal to play and I'm not a fan of the magna-slings. I don't get nearly as frustrated playing the Pro. I also kind of like the right ramp setup on the Pro vs. the Premium. It does make it a bit right flipper heavy but the game is an easy one to post-pass on which allows you to transfer to the left flipper easy enough.

That should be correct. You need to lock a ball via the left ramp before it becomes a true captive ball shot. The single ball target will still register though.

You probably want to try and center that plastic spoon on the metal rod, similar to how you would adjust a pop bumper.

Does the orb shot on the lower left use the same type of switch/setup?

I thought I read somewhere that it was supposed to use some kind of Eddy sensor to detect the hits but that doesn't seem to be the case.

Would love to buy a Premium translite to swap into my Pro! Anyone know the best way to get one? For me the Pro cab art is my favorite along with the premium translite. LE gets bonus points though since it has a mirrored translite and foil cabinet. All 3 art packages are simply fantastic!

Can any of the Photoshop gurus out there mock up a pic of the Pro with the Premium translite? Thanks!

Many thanks! Great combo. I'll have to try and find a Premium translite!

On the Head2Head interview Zombie Yeti said that there were art blades and other official accessories (including a topper) coming soon.

Stern's powdercoat (non black) sucks for this on their lollipop rails. My TWDLE powder coat started rubbing off because of wearing a ring when I played it. Now I make sure to remove my ring whenever playing that game or my ACDC Premium. On the non powdercoat games I've never had an issue with wear on the cabinet. I think the mylar flipper button protectors are the best option in that they prevent wear and allow you to see all of the artwork.

That's true for the stock "black" Stern lollipop rails but if you have a Stern LE game with colored powdercoat it will rub right off if you wear a ring over time causing permanent damage. Mylar is a better option.

Rings are harder than Stern's powdercoat. This was within a couple hundred plays on a HUO game. My last game with Stern's crappy powdercoat.

IMG_20180518_182940 (resized).jpg

Good to see you enjoying the hobby again Russell! Maiden is a phenomenal game.

I agree. The rules feel perfect on the Pro as-is. If it doesn't make the game better I think they should leave it off or at least make it optional on the Pro.-off by default. It needs to fit well into the rule-set and the progression of the game or else it could be a road-block towards getting to 2MTM, Cyborg and Run to the Hills since it isn't really a requirement for any of those and you would likely be playing it fairly often since it's only the 3rd Tomb award (I'd move it to 5th after EB).-and since it's more than 1 ball it likely won't be stack-able? If it isn't extra lucrative it may end up being one of those modes you either time-out or avoid playing. I would like to hear more about it though and see what it's actually like!

When I first saw the Backstage Pass where it mentioned Madness I figured it was the 8th and final Tomb award and was another wizard mode but it seems like RTTH is that now that at 10. I figured RTTH was for the 2nd level Eddy award completion. 3rd award just seems too frequent. Seems like 5 may be a better spot for it as it's still attainable yet challenging and doesn't block you from as much stuff at that point.

I've been playin' better on Trooper Played one game after work tonight and put this up!

IMG_20180601_170858 (resized).jpg

I ordered a Premium translite for my Pro from Stern and installed it. I think it matches up really well!

IMG_20180619_202938 (resized).jpg

IMG_20180626_061913 (resized).jpg

I think this may be the first time that Stern has sold Premium translites direct from their site, but in the past they have been available to purchase through distributors and limited retailers. If you notice in my pic I've also got a LUCI translite in my standard ACDC premium as LUCI translites and cab decals were available to purchase through various outlets. The LE backglasses are another story and Stern doesn't provide those for sale like you mentioned. I don't see any reason for them not to sell Premium translites as the premium models are unlimited in production just like Pros.

Marco has almost all of the recent Stern Premium translites for sale on their site:
https://www.marcospecialties.com/control/keywordsearch?SEARCH_STRING=premium+translite

I think the Premium has more purple in the artwork vs. the Pro which is more of an aqua blue. Aside from that I think the artwork is pretty much identical.