Premium is the full version. The topper adds gameplay also (more things to accumulate to complete your collection). If this is your dream machine I recommend the Premium. If it's not your dream machine, you might want to play it quite a bit before making a buying decision. It's a tough machine to love.

The thing that I gotta ask is... is AIQ the kind of game you like to play?

AIQ is a tough pinball to love. It is very, very, 'complete this sequence'.

If you are compulsive about completing the sequences, it embraces you. You've found your dream machine.

Personally, I find it a bit to goal-oriented.

Maybe it's just that my pinball skills aren't good enough for this machine, but it encourages really long games that just turn into a slog.

It might be great for you. Nobody should tell you what you should love.

But for me, it's just not the kind of game I like playing.

I don't know what this, "Complete the Sequence" nonsense is about. Seems like a ridiculously vague term that doesn't really mean anything. Isn't all of pinball about sequences? Hitting shots, many times in a specific (or preferable) order? Sheesh.

I can't vouch for 1.0 code as I didn't get to spend time with it until it matured. I think it's a fun game with great flow, but it's a grind to see big scores. That said, like any Elwin game, there are a lot of ways to play it. I especially like that it is very combo focused. Every certain amount of combos lights a combo jackpot, and every certain amount of combos will light Portal Locks, which turns your modes into multiballs and multiplies the scoring of them. Combo values keep building too and don't reset, so you are incentivized to keep the ball moving. Drop targets will activate various "Super" modes which can be fun, there are various hurry-ups that will activate as you play, and there are quite a few mini-wizard modes. Gem modes are basically your standard modes that ideally you finish (stacking with multiballs makes them easier). The game gets deeper with Gem placement after finishing said modes, but I won't go into that.

Pro vs. Premium - They both have their ups and downs. Premium obviously has more features, some of which make the game easier to play (like the rising Disc/Portal). However, on the ones I've played, the Captain Marvel ramp was nearly impossible to hit (and in many times I would hit it, it wouldn't register). So you will need to toy with it to make it consistent. The Pro model feels clunkier in ways (like the Captain Marvel spinner), but since I can actually make the Captain Marvel shot regularly, it's a big part of my combo game (and every Captain Marvel shot leads to their hurry-up, which can be lucrative).

Dont worry, Im here to tell you what to like.

Topper is lame as shit obviously & guess what, they added its mode to regular updates so you don't need it anywhom.

Ive honestly have played little else in 2024. AIQ is just so great in so many ways. Premium for sure. No Capt Marvel ramp kills the dA fLOw BrAh
"Tower used for Hawkeye challenge, tower used for magnetic captive ball in MB, flipper meter spul gem, using stones to 10x hard mode for soul gem, black order MB, Battle Royal, portal locks. victory laps, defeat Thanos, super victory laps, flank attack shot spots, cap 'merica thru shot ot for add a ball...so much. "
Helps to have some skillz for sure. Like GZ it's a long road.

This is an excellent, honest analysis.

My problem w/ AIQ: Once I play that long, close to 1 billion game...I'm ready to walk to another title.
The titles I truly love, I can hit start again, no problem.

Stay away Vino!

Premium is Elwin’s best layout of all his games. Rules are both great and shyt all at the same time, it’s incredible how a game can do that. Display is average at best. Call outs are flat. Sound effects are great. Music is terrible. Overall, the Game lacks character and soul. But, it’s still worth buying and playing for a few months as it has its moments. But only as long as you get a good deal on one so you can easily resell without to big of a loss.

Install my custom code that replaces a lot of the crappy Stern animations with way cooler scenes. Also replaces the typical Stern orchestral sound with real soundtrack songs.

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Palette cleanser

I wouldn’t do it.

Unless you love the theme and print out a rules spreadsheet.

Subpar imo primarily because of the rules.

JP, GZ and Jaws are so much better Elwin games.

I was happy to get rid of it during the peak

Maybe POMC update makes a difference

Everybody says premium but I'll cast the dissenting vote and say the Pro is fine and I actually prefer it. The Marvel ramp is physically cool but it doesn't help gameplay, it just makes quests and combos harder. There is no code advantage for the premium other than the score multiplier on the Marvel ramp. In fact the Pro is better strategically, because you're less likely to accidentally start a quest when you don't want to yet (fall into the open portal on the premium, shoot gauntlet ramp on pro) so you can keep shooting more combos for portal locks.

1.0 code didn't change much on this game. It removed a half-baked battle mode (with the gem perks and anti-perks) and reorganized that into the Thanos Attacks and final Battle Thanos modes. The gems and collecting Avengers are all still the same.

Great game. The only reason I don't own one is because a friend that lives five minutes away has a premium that I get to play whenever I want.

Well if you "accidentally start a mode," that's pinball.

I have a pro
I’ll sell it someday and get a premium
I didn’t like the game that much when it first came out but I enjoy the strategies now

TWD and AIQ sit right next to each other in my main room as well…perfect palette cleanser and kicks your ass “almost” every time but its the one banger that keeps you coming back for more.

Oh yeah, keep Family Guy or something easy and funny and/or next to them!

AIq’s in the low to mid 5’s? Helluva deal to try out and if you dont love, like others said….move it along

I got a AIQ premium for $7K which I think is great value, the game has a lot to offer but may be lacking in some polish in the graphics or callouts but it doesn't take away much from he game just that a few other games like DP seem more refined by comparison.

AiQ pro for sale at $5K seems like an amazing deal.

I had a premium, sold it, deeply regretted it, and just picked up another. I love the game. Shots, rules, art are all amazing. I don’t get the complaints about it being hard to understand. It can be and easy or as complex as you want I to be. It’s a favorite whenever anyone comes over to play.

As others have said, sound effects are fantastic, callouts are meh, and music is beyond dreadful. The alternate code fixes a lot of that.

I had a pro for a year and a half and thoroughly enjoyed it. The music and animations suck, but the rules and layout are incredible.

I’ve yet to play a premium/LE with a Captain Marvel ramp that works as it should all the time, but with how prices have fallen on this game, I’d recommend the premium anyway. For $7500 it’s a steal. The pro is a fine game as well, though.

His most underrated game for sure. Its the LOTR of modern pins, love the shots and code.

I will say the captain marvel shot on a premium, for me, is the best shot in pinball.

I totally agree with this. I had a pro for a few months and it never connected with me. There's a reason why they are selling cheaper than comparable pins. GZ is way better in my opinion.