so...how long until we see Stern Godzilla vinyl banners?

Son of a bitch! LE #374 booked.

The whole argument is flawed - 30 year returns? Do you know how old most of these farts are?? They'll be lucky to still be sucking air in 15.....

you buy the # or was just assigned and they tell you. ?
my Gnr is 375
would be cool to get the same godzilla #le

If anyone happens to have a line on a LE at/near MSRP, I'd love to get one.

Otherwise, it looks like I'll be waiting for a Premium. I just really wanted to have an LE next to my JP LE and Avengers LE, but my local distro apparently has more loyal buyers.

I thought this was a Godzilla hype thread... lots of bitching and moaning going on.

Can't wait until we have the games in hand and can discuss gameplay, mods, strategies, etc!

How did you get an actual number?

Wish I could upvote this by 1,000 for the obscure Gojira smarts. Shin Godzilla was awesome

You can pay for it if you want and it’s available.

Would it be possible for you to launch the ball from the shooter lane straight to the Magna post magnet thing for a skill shot? It could then release the ball from the post magnet onto the upper left flipper for another shot into the middle ramp and reward a super skill shot. What do you think?

116-godzilla (resized).jpg

That would be awesome!

You can add $100 and you'll get the number, if available. Some distributors don't like this hassle but mine do.

It was stated already that the magnet is a skill shot available from the plunger.

From Stern's website.

"All models of Godzilla pinball machines feature an innovative “Magna Grab” magnetic newton ball, capable of catching pinballs from five different shot paths, including off the plunge."

Looks like it could happen. That would be a good one. I see there's a skill shot arrow for the lane behind the upper flipper. Could be fun also if they made a skill shot for plunging directly to the left inlane.

I’ve got my LE on order as well. Can’t wait because I love Godzilla.

In with an LE. The game looks incredible to me. Looking forward to the stream tomorrow and seeing the skyscraper in action.

It looks like the coolest feature in a game in a long time.

Is the stream going to be Premium or Pro?

Ads don't say. Paging DeadFlip , DeadFlip to the thread please!

I read it was going to be a premium. I will try to find it.

EDIT:
Found it, I read it from Gary Stern's letter to distributors. It's one of the last sentences.

"Jack Danger will stream Godzilla Premium/LE with the game team live on Friday, September 17 at 6pm Chicago time at https://www.twitch.tv/deadflip."

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen

Today, right now, we are announcing our next cornerstone game, Godzilla. It is our first game manufactured already equipped for Insider Connected™ with QR reader and dongle. (It can be played and operated without connectivity; QR reader cover up art is provided.) In the future, all Stern commercial LCD games, new titles and older titles, will be manufactured equipped for Insider Connected. Machines previously manufactured can be retrofitted with a connectivity kit. A new title with all games fully equipped for connectivity is the best way to introduce this new system, achieving the greatest early adoption and fastest success.

By now you should have seen videos and read articles describing the current and some future features and advantages of Insider Connected. I am going to concentrate on description of Godzilla.

We are maintaining our desired cadence and schedule — new cornerstone titles with Pro, Premium and Limited Edition versions in the beginning of the year, in the spring, and in the fall. In spite of severe supply chain difficulties facing manufacturers in all industries, we have significantly increased our production and are continuing to increase the rate even more.

Designer Keith Elwin has captured the essence of Toho Japan’s Godzilla, pulling from 10 of the earliest, campiest and most iconic of the 32 movies. Appearing first in 1954 and continuing today (3 movies in the last 5 years), Godzilla has been recognized with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It is licensed not only for toys and games but also apparel, housewares, car gear and more, and now pinball.

The player is Godzilla, ridding the earth of Xiliens, trashing a few cities along the way. The game of course has a skyscraper, with virtual lock for one of the 6 multiballs, which range from 2 to 6 balls. It has an industry first “Magna Grab” magnetic Newton ball directing the ball from 5 different directions, often setting the ball up for the 3rd flipper; words can’t describe how this feature works and how cool it is, so you have to play it. Godzilla has a scoop to change cities, 3 spinning targets, great wire ramps, 13 RGB lights, and new return lane chase lights strobing as balls return to the flippers. It utilizes movie scenes and audio from 10 movies, the movie Godzilla music, Blue Oyster Cult’s “Godzilla”, custom speech in English and Japanese, and subtitles. The Zombie Yeti art is fantastic.

Additions and changes for the Godzilla Premium/LE are substantial. The skyscraper is motorized to collapse down multiple levels, and 3 balls are locked on its roof by a vertical upkicking skyway ramp. A breakaway bridge ramp collapses to drop pinballs on the playfield. The Premium/LE models have another motorized device – a rotating 3 bank of targets that reveal a spinning target and jump ramp. There is a 2nd magnet in a sculpted Mechagodzilla to catch the ball. Godzilla itself is added as another sculpted toy. And more.

Godzilla is a great game by a great designer, and it introduces Insider Connected. In light thereof, and because of demand for the last few LE’s, we have decided to make 1,000 Limited Edition Godzilla, each with:

High gloss metallic silver Mechagodzilla armor and legs
Mirrored backglass
Reflective foil cabinet decals
Upgraded audio system
Shaker motor
Non-glare playfield glass
Certificate of authenticity signed by me
Designer autographed
Sequentially numbered (1 to 1,000) plate
We plan to reduce model changeovers in order to increase our production rate of Godzilla. Pro production starts in about a week. Of the USA Pros, we will first supply games through our distribution to commercial locations; we ask for information about these locations so that we can help market and attract players to see and try Godzilla. LE’s come during the last week of September and early October. The Premium production will start in October. We also will continue manufacturing many other games – all the commercial LCD games will contain the components needed for Insider Connected.

News reports confirm manufacturers in all industries are struggling with supply chain shortages resulting in higher parts costs (supply and demand elasticity). Our parts costs continue to increase, daily. Freight costs are way up, and often we must use high cost air freight. Because of worker shortages, to add needed factory staffing and increase our production rate, we have had to increase wage rates to the tune of nearly $100 a game.

We also have the added costs for the components of Insider Connected.

We have been saying for months that we could not hold prices indefinitely. We must raise Godzilla wholesale price $600 for Pro’s and $500 for Premium/LE. Because all the other LCD commercial games manufactured after we start Godzilla will contain the Insider Connected components, we must raise the wholesale price $200 for these games; that’s about the wholesale price of Insider Connected retrofit kits. (We will soon announce a 6 months discount price for the kits.) All commercial LCD games shipped after January 1, 2022 will increase to the Godzilla wholesale price. USA MDF and export discount will be $200 for all games; we are discontinuing the extra $75 export pro game discount. Similarly, after we start Godzilla, all The Pin games shipped will have a $300 wholesale price increase.

A new UMRP, MAP and MSRP list will be sent to USA customers shortly. On the list Godzilla will be increased more than the wholesale increase, as will the MSRP for other games.

We have had to raise wholesale prices on existing game orders in the past. We will accept you cancelling orders, should you so desire.

A full line of accessories will be available. We will provide you separately with dates for art blades, side armor, shooter rods and toppers.

…

Jack Danger will stream Godzilla Premium/LE with the game team live on Friday, September 17 at 6pm Chicago time at https://www.twitch.tv/deadflip.

Today is the beginning of a new era for pinball, as we introduce Insider Connected with a great Keith Elwin game and its very cool historic title, Godzilla.

Best regards,

Gary

Gary Stern
President

Interesting, have to see this in action...
"new return lane chase lights strobing as balls return to the flippers"

Thank god… thanks for confirming

I think we’ll all be very-very pleasantly surprised, no matter our hyper level. Cannot wait for Danger’s steam tomorrow

I wasn't totally in love with the theme although I watched many Godzilla movies as a kid. The dubbing in of the English was sometimes hysterically funny. That said, the fact that Keith Elwin designed this game and the toys are mech's are amazing, I went with a Premium, since the LE's are almost vaporware. I pretty much had my name on a premium sight unseen since July and without knowing the theme assuming that Elwin would probably knock it out of the park and I heard from a well know distributor the game was going to be amazing. It certainly looks that way and the Premium appears to worth the extra money for the building alone, but when you add in the collapsing bridge and MechaGodzilla with the spinner it makes it a total no brainer in my opinion.

Keep in mind that there are two dubs for almost all of the original Showa series (1954-1975) Godzilla films. Toho's International cut almost always had a terrible dub. As you stated, some of the voices were laughable. The American cut almost always made a new dub. The two versions had a different title as well... most of the time. One of the ways you can tell the difference between which version you are watching is to watch the opening credits and see what company is releasing the movie. If it's AIP (American International Pictures) then it's the American cut. There were other companies other than AIP that released Godzilla films. If you see the 'Toho' logo at the start, it's probably going to be the International version with a terrible dub. The movies were also changed. Only the first 3, 'Godzilla', 'Godzilla Raids Again' and 'King Kong vs. Godzilla' had substantially different cuts. The other films had minor cuts or slight changes.

I don't know much about twitch... Are the streams archived for later viewing?

Yes, unless the user doesn't want them available. Jack always posts his streams on YouTube later as well.

Can’t wait to see the stream.

The only thing I want to see is blue oyster cut as an option for the main theme of the game. That guitar riff playing at the start button would be epic.

I miss the days of BKSOR and Deadpool when Jack would stream an hour of Premium and an hour of Pro on the same stream. Helps folks decide. Stream both.

Yeah, me too - I understand it from a marketing standpoint to highlight the Premium, but I want to see both. I'm more or less a Pro buyer only, and not getting a good quality steam of the Pro until well after release is disappointing.

This is especially bad if they're not going to even release a dedicated Pro feature sizzle video too.

I have my Pro ordered. Excited for sure!

Premium and damn happy to be getting one, arrival is mid to late October, so I'm told. Congrats to the LE and Pro buyers as well, we are in for some seriously cool pinball very soon, can't wait for tomorrow to see this incredible machine in action!

I love the streams with Jack. But it would have been super to get a dedicated pro and premium intro video like had with past releases.

Yea, though it’s pretty clear that the pro is an absolute joke and especially at the new price. And I am a pro guy

It all depends how it shoots. The pro will have more flow that the other two. It might be a gem to play, so I’ll reserve judgment until I give it a bash.

Not at this new pricing. I could agree with that take when it was $5800 shipped but now it just feels like a terrible value. Also this pro has literally nothing in it. You would have thought that with new pricing they would have felt compelled to leave more in the Pro. I am baffled that they didn’t leave the building moving up and down in the Pro (no lock). That would have still given the. Prem mechagodzilla, the bridge, the building ball lock, and the sculpts. This game is like having stranger things pro without the demogorgon. Just my 2c

Check back with us after 100 games or so...........

You think you’d get less sick or the Godzilla theme song in the trailer? I guess it would be good sleep therapy

Anyone know when the Mothra egg shooter knob will be available?

I heard premium will be manufactured in mid October as well. It took 17 days from the date my TMNT was built until the day it arrived in my driveway in NorCal. I'm hoping late October to early November for mine to arrive. I was the first on the dealers list for a premium, I hope that matters somewhat.

Who was your distro? Jason at Classic couldn't get me one.

This is kinda where I am at with this - the price increase is quite noticeable in terms of game inclusions on the Premium, but it doesn't feel like the Pro was enhanced enough to justify the increase (obvious supply/demand issues aside, so it's kinda obvious why the price went up). I would've been content if they left the Mechagodzilla mech in instead of the building or bridge, even.

I'm probably in the minority here, but pro looks like it might be a good way to go.

For approximately $2,000 more, you get a cool, collapsing building MB mech; a flimsy-looking collapsing bridge thingie; a spinneroo turret magnet-grab. And two dubious-looking sculpts.

The shots and game play look like they'll be the same. The turret looks like it might be prone to malfunction as with the LZ prem? Or slow the game down? The pro shot might actually be preferable. The bridge? Meh: cool for about a dozen plays. The collapsing MB building...ok that's pretty cool but $2,000 cool?

I'm thinking get the overpriced $7,000 pro and neato sculpts of GZ and Mechano GZ will be produced by various mod master aftermarket people. Not to mention other cool add-ons coming down the pipe for sure...

Admittedly, I'm eagerly awaiting the Deadflip stream, so who knows? Need to see the Premium in action. Pity that he won't be streaming the Pro !!

Shots will not be the same at all

1. Building diverts balls in direct directions depending on level

2. Bridge sends ball to upper flipper when collapsed

3. Mechagodzilla mech has two different stages which changes the shots

7k is an obscene amount to pay for a game with zero mechanical magic...

Yeah....only if you have absolutely no clue what you're looking at.... I will grant you that we don't know exactly how the mech itself functions, but there's TWO layers of plastics on the side and then steel support underneath. Double stacked plastics is effectively what we ALL rely on when we buy plastic protectors. I've never had one protector crack, across probably 20-30 games I have put them on, much less the art plastic they were protecting. Not once. The bridge is not likely to be an issue.....the mech that moves it? Maybe.

Yeah I love my Deadpool pro, but had to go Premium for Avengers Infinity Quest and Premium here on Godzilla.

Godzilla being my favorite them among those I knew I would be in for a Premium before release and I love the depth of Elwin games for home use, but the price increase is painful no doubt. Most likely will be selling a machine (probably Williams Space Station) to help offset the cost and make room for GZ.

I never realized the similarity between the original Godzilla theme song and the The Nightmare Before Christmas - "This is Halloween" song's music until watching the promo Godzilla video the other day... or is it just me?

The Pro is defiantly going to be the faster player.

Getting an LE, after seeing more shots of the foil side art. Didn't bother picking a specific number.