http://www.sternpinball.com/upload/games/star-trek/pro/Star%20Trek%20Pinball%20Features.pdf

They are mostly cosmetic. The only things added to the LE that affect gameplay are the VUK that safely delivers the ball back to the left flipper, and the kickback.

Shiny stuff

He said Premium, not Pro.

LE over Premium:
Shaker included
Different cab art
Mirrored backglass
Blue trim
Lit and animated laser cut rails (photon torpedo lights also seen on inside of cab)
Unique speaker panel with backlit starfleet speakers
Lit starfleet plexi insignias on the sides of the backbox

The difference is the Premium is actually limited, and the LE isn't.

D'oh!

Does the premium have the apron lights? I don't see it mentioned in that chart, but I didn't look that close either...

It does.

Yeah, same apron as the LE. Only "playfield" things it doesn't have are the side lights on the inside of the cab.

Premium is the way to go if one is easily available to you. The red trim is amazing. The translite isn't bad, but if you really want to have something special, add Aurich's translite and decal kit. To me that puts it right up there with the LE if not better. Those lit side rails on the LE are sweet though, and the only thing I'm really still jealous of.

I had a premium, really slick red trim! I traded it but I sure do miss it.

Thanks man. I'm about to order some more prints for the waiting list people. I'll probably have a few extra from that if you get the game and decide you want it.

That kit came out a few days after I sold my ST. It's beautiful, almost made me regret the sale.

Not sure what you mean by that. Stern has undoubtedly made more than 799 Premiums.

I actually highly doubt that. I don't obviously know, simply guessing, but I'd be very surprised to hear it was even close to that.

My dad just decided to buy his first pin and settled on a Star Trek premium NIB.

I am very happy with my Star Trek LE. It's getting more play then my more recently acquired grail, AFM. High five to Steve Ritchie for back to back kick ass games.

also, the LE has a mirrored translite, not a backglass

I own one. It's a backglass. Not a translite.

I've never seen a mirrored translite, does such a beast even exist? I guess with the mirrored ink that's being used now it could be done as a spot color ...

my friend owns one as well and claims that it's not a backglass on his

Well….he's wrong. lol

Black Spider-Man LE, AC/DC LE, X-Men LE, Avengers LE, STLE, Metallica LE, TWD LE - all have mirrored backglasses.

It's mirrored. There's a lot of mirror looking back at you on it too.

If money isn't an issue, I say go for LE over premium. LE is the prettiest looking game I own.

Rare Hero,
I will verify this.

Remember, we're on Pinside, which skews heavily to LE purchases. There are plenty of Pin buyers not on here, who will simply choose a Premium over a Pro based on features, look, etc....

OK. Trekkie and I already have lol. Everyone else with an LE can verify this. It's a mirrored backglass. This is just a fact.

I'm basing my guess on more than Pinside.

There's a reason TWD didn't have a Premium, no Premium since AC/DC has had good sales. That's a fact straight from Stern. I don't obviously have numbers, but 800 Premiums? I say not even close.

110% it's a backglass in the LE

The differences are really cosmetic, nothing when it comes to actual game play is different. However, when it comes to aesthetics and light show, there is no LE that matches STLE in my mind. When you look at the difference between Premium and LE models for other titles I believe they made major differences in this LE such as the laser cut rails, the LED side panels, speaker panel with back-lit star-fleet speakers, star-fleet insignia's on the sides of the back box... The extras do indeed enhance the game from the Premium model. In your case if you are putting it beside a ACDC Luci, I would go ST Premium and add in Aurich's translight and decals package. For myself it is sitting beside a ACDC BIBLE so STLE complements it really nice. Unfortunately, I bought my ACDC BIBLE after STLE and it forced my hand as I would have just gotten a ACDC Premium but could not pass up the art design of the machine and how well it complemented STLE. A Mustang LE might be in my future too as it complements those machines as well... Good luck with your purchase you really can't go wrong in any scenario it is really just a matter of taste...

You are probably right as they should have never made 799 LE's to begin with and maybe that would have spurred more Premium being sold. As well the problem with the premium in ST is the extra features to go from a Pro to Premium are not really that impressive so more people probably just went with the Pro...

Maybe, but I think you have to experience the Prem/LE to really appreciate it. The full color changing insert FX & Klingon laser lights are really f'ing cool. Sure, they're not physical gameplay things, but they're awesome when you're experiencing them during gameplay.

I could never go to a Pro after having my Premium, I love the upgrades way too much. Are they "worth" it? Eh, probably not. You can't really say it has $x more in features with a straight face. But it's personally worth it to me, it makes me love the machine way more.

Nothing at all wrong with the Pro! Plays just fine. But when I play one now it feels plain and decontented in comparison.

You guys have me all excited to help my dad set up his premium. I'm still holding out some hope that he is just going to hand it over, lol.

I totally hear you there, I own an LE and would never buy a Pro (its like going from dial up to high speed internet, once you have it you can't go back, lol), but because the Pro is packed with so many good features, the laser upgrade and colour changing inserts may not be enough for major increase in price to go Premium for many people. That is really the only rationale I have for the lower sales of Premiums in this title.

It's only around $1,500 more for a premium at dealer price. Pinball isn't a cheap hobby. If one can afford $5K, they can probably afford $6.5K. For me, the light show of the Premium alone is worth $1,500...to say nothing about the physical things like a crashing Vengeance, kickback and VUK.

The side rails on the LE are cool, but they don't make up for bad cabinet and backglass graphics. The Premium crushes the LE in that category, and throw in Aurich's translite, and it's a knockout.

Still not convinced on this, but if true, would definitely suck. I've always liked the Premium category....would hate to see it go.

Yikes, I think Aurich's back glass is awesome and makes the premium even more desirable, but really nothing touches the mirrored back glass of the LE IMO. Art design is really all up for interpretation so I do respect your opinion thou...

I think the LE backglass is sharp. In my opinion, it's the nicest of the three by far. What don't you like about it?

I second this.

No, here's the reason Premium sales aren't higher:

-799 LEs...lots of people bought the "full model" already.
-Code. Game had/has a middling reputation due to code issues.
-It's "unlimited" ...so - why buy it until they figure out the code and the game's word of mouth improves?

Ya you are probably right there. There has to be good reason why Stern has now abandoned the Premiums altogether, you look at MET Premiums they have good code and the game is great, but I bet the sales on these also dwarfs the Pro versions. I personally think there just isn't room in the market for three tiers of machines anymore, with so many choices out there now it didn't make sense for Stern to have three different types of models of the same machine who knows in the future it may not make sense for them to make LE's and just make one machine where you can just option up.

Met's the same situation. LE's sold out cuz it was limited - but had unfinished code and hammer issues for almost a year. Why buy a Premium if it's unlimited? You could get one when they finished the code…so buyers held out, and sales weren't great. Things picked up once the big code updates hit. AC/DC got really good relatively quick….and that's when Premium sales took off.

Code sells Premiums.

Why buy it now? Because I want it now! Code updates are free....no reason not to have it now.

I don't care for the "Swooshy" look of the Enterprise. It looks amateurish.

I also think the cabinet graphics are superior on the Premium because it's an iconic scene from the movie, with the massive Vengeance bearing down on the Enterprise. Sums up the major feature of the pin perfectly.

Of course, it's just my opinion, but a Premium with Aurich's custom translite is aesthetically the best.

I can also see some modders making the side armor for Premiums someday. The code is shared between the two, so no reason why something similar to Stern's can't be created.

Rarehero,
I was mistaken, you are correct.
When I first looked at this, it appears as a translite that is taped to the galsss

There is this tape use around the edges.

006.JPG

I have worked on old Bally machines, and never saw this type of backing, and tape used.
004.JPG