Although it doesn't really matter that I don't like it to Pinside, I'm voting with my wallet this time and am NOT GOING TO OVERPAY for this machine. Period.
There is nothing on the last few sterns that is even remotely close to being imaginative, but instead just more like "hey, this does something and it's simple". Simple coils that rock things back and forth, shake something, whatever. It's like we're toddlers and they're dangling keys in front of us and all we want is more! (haha).
You can do a lot with $8K outside of pinball… and that's where my money is going now. Again, just my humble opinion, but I used to be a Stern buyer. I feel like they've been very happy to take my money (and more and more of it), but not very eager to please me for the next purchase (or even follow up with my current pin (code)).. just hoping I'll automatically buy again.
No more.