Sure, it's a great game

Do you like it?

I’d get an original cause I don’t like the VE art or sounds.

Its in my top 5 pins of all time. Great game.

I recommend a VE. WAY better art. Way better dots. Cabinet decal ink doesnt smear off. Better sculpts. Better lighting. Toby movies are old news. Comic theme is timeless. New magnet design doesnt crater the playfield.

There's like ONE picture of Toby on that game, a dark fuzzy snapshot on a sling?

I know Spiderman is based on the movies but they really did an excellent job of hiding it.

Here's what you need to know about SM.

Gameplay and rules are excellent. However, it's a fairly easy pin to keep the ball going for long amounts of time. This is a game that suffers from easy and long ball times. I highly recommend you adjust the following to help the gameplay difficulty match its ruleset; #1 remove the center drain post, #2 Steeper Pitch, #3 open Outlanes, #4 put lightning flippers in. It makes the game more challenging, yet more fun - so i do recommend at least #1 & #2 then go to #3 & #4 based on your skill level and preference.

Another thing to note is a lot of people complain that it's dock ock all day for strategy; if you find this true, you can disable it in settings so you can only play dock ock a max of 3 times.

That all said, Ive owned 2 original SM's and currently own the VE. So yea, i highly recommend it. it's an excellent pin and has stood up to the test of time. I prefer the Vault Edition - Pretty much for the reasons IdahoRealtor mentioned. I am not a fan of the Movie theme art/sounds/call outs/display. But this is personal preference.

I understand preferring one version of the games art over another, it's a matter of taste.

But the VE art is not timeless, it represents a specific era of art for Spiderman (Ultimate Spiderman). And to me when I think of Spiderman I think of the art on the orginal, not the bug eyed, malnourished version on the VE.

And like previously mentioned the only real movie tie-ins are on the plastics.

To answer the ops question, yes, it's a great game.

its very similar in shots to your star trek, but the code is pretty different so might not bother you

if you havent played it much there is one at 1up colfax as well as lyons classic pinball and one in loveland at The Flipside.

Regarding the movie tie-ins, I think you're forgetting the call outs, the characters and character sculpts, the backglass. Pretty much the whole pin is based on the movies. I actually like the movies and still prefer the VE. I've owbed both versions. The VE was also a better earner for me.

Back to the OPs original question, I say buy one. It's one of those Sterns that deserves to be owned at some point

SM is one of my all time favorite games. The rules and flow are top notch. Choosing between a VE or original is a matter of personal preference. Both are fantastic.
The shots are very similar to ST, which is why I don’t have both in my current line up. If you’re ok with it, go for it.
Good luck!

If it's HUO - talk yourself back into it, If it's routed it's a fair deal but not a screamin deal.

Been thinking of getting one of these myself. Must admit I was startled when I read this: "cratered".
Cratered!?!
Is this as serious as it sounds? Someone please explain more.

All Spider-man comics, movies, tv shows & pinball machines represent and reflect specific periods of time.

The movies and the Stern SM are a derivative of the original comics.

In addition to the plastics, the Stern SM toys also reflect the likeness of the actors in the movies.

Both versions are great. The VE has fixed the weak spots from the original - magnets & additional armor.

Would have loved an original SM. When I could get one, the VE had been released and really nice versions of SM i could find were about $1k less, with the black suit well above a new SMVE.

Once I started adding up the costs to reinforce a SM & add LEDs, a new SMVE didn’t look so bad.

Wear from mushrooming of the magnet core. If it is not replaced in a timely manner, it starts chewing up the area surrounding the mag core. Same as a MET pro or other games that don’t have another metal ring surrounding the magnet core.

SM original all the way, awesome game! Can’t beat the JK Simmons callouts and music on the original!

Takes lots of plays, but eventually you will get considerable playfield damage right around the perimeter of the magnet. The playfield will get worn and concave around the magnet and the magnet will mound and mushroom over the playfield. Same goes for Iron Man, Metallica and many others with the prior magnet design. Cliffy's carbon fiber magnet protectors seem to help a lot. This is a non-issue with the current magnet design first seen I think on Walking Dead. SMVE has the newer magnet.

Thanks for the explanations.
Any pics of what to watch out for would be appreciated.

Yes. The VE SUCKS compared to the original. Yes some of the art is better on the vault and the dots are better in places (since the movie clips are gone), but the VOICE callouts are ATROCIOUS, and the playfield is cost-reduced. So if you're getting a Spidey, get the full-fat original.

I was in the same situation as you about a month and a half ago. I bought it, low 4's without ever having really played the game. Turns out it was an awesome decision. I love the game, really because the rules are outstanding, bought a color dmd and led ocd board for it, tossed in along with some led's and it looks like it's going to stay for the long haul. Feels like a lot more game that the recent releases and is nicely loaded with toys.

I love the VE artwork, but like the callouts from the original better. I plan on owning a VE someday.....and will use pinball browser to change out some of the callouts.

Yes, you should buy one!

It's a non-issue if you just watch the magnet core and replace it when it hints at mushrooming. It's cheap maintenance everyone should know how to do. The new design isn't better, just different, unless you don't like to maintain your pins at all.

I vote for the original.

One of my all time favorite games. My first Pinball was a NIB 2010 Spiderman. I’m a fan of the Toby Maguire movies. Plus, J K Simmons does the callouts in the character of the newspaper editor from the movies.
Steve Ritchie flow with Lyman Sheets coding. A fantastic game, probably in the Top 20 all time for me.

JK Simmons' JJ has some of the best callouts in all of pinball. Really hurts the VE not to have him.

I would say it's one of my favorite Stern's and prefer it slightly over ST.

That being said it's personal preference I own the VE and love it but if you can find the original for 3k less that would be $3,500. and it's in good shape go for it.

My story was I fell in love with SM at the pinball expo 2014, couldn't find one to buy, then the rumor of the remake happened.

Then used SM's starting popping up but I wanted to wait. Saw the new VE and ordered it. Yes it was more but I rather have new than old and I don't have much room so I can buy what I want. Downside was play field ghosting so I got a new one last fall.

Oh concerning the longer ball times yes and no, but my SM is between IM and Indy 500 and those games have very very short ball times.

Helpful and disarming.
Puts Spidy back on the short list.

No. Buying pinball machines for the home is dumb, and a colossal waste of money.

Like color screens! B&W lives!

And replacing a magnet core is cheap and relatively easy. Less than 10 bucks, and sometimes $5 or $6 if you get them in bulk. We have pins on route and I replace them annually as part of the machine's maintenance. That's with a LOT more plays than they get in someone's house, usually. Don't let the type of magnet core decide something for you. Both styles are fine and each has pluses and minuses.

Excellent information.
Really appreciate it.
Let the hunt begin!

I voted yes, because I have a really nice one for sale

Man oh man. I’ve been toying with the idea of selling mine but you guys are kind of talking me out if it. It really is a fantastic game and my kids totally love it. Almost as much as the love the hobbit.

I got rid of my Black several years ago and still have no regrets. Perhaps the only game I've sold that I didn't want back at some point. Fantastic shots and pretty good code. I guess I'm just not a Spiderman guy as the theme really grated on me.

Yes.
Also, I'll be at the 1Up on Thurs night let's party Denver.

Go for it!

Theee words... JK Simmons. He is in the original, and not the VE. Therefore the VE is a lesser game.

I'm not a huge fan of the game. It's fine and fun, but too long playing and a bit too easy unless you are going for hero or certain multipliers. You should definitely play it more before deciding.

Yes. The game is one of the best!!! So fun and easy to play!!! Top 10 for me personally. Mine is chromed and looks amazing.

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Damn you aren’t kidding. That does look amazing.

Yeah buddy! For shore!
Nice topper too!

Any SM is a great, prefer vault for call outs and comic art over movie as well.
The nerd in me would have loved to see IMVE with a classic marvel art package too.

You can have your cake AND eat it too...

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/stern-spider-man-ve-smve-call-out-modification

How do you fix the cheapening of the playfield toys on the VE?