I'll hold judgement on the topper until I see it on a game in person. It is supposed to be interactive with modes, songs and your general game play. I saw a video on their Facebook page of a prototype just gradually changing colors. They said it will interact more than that - it was just a early prototype. It still is a little pricey for a topper.

Can not wait to play this Pin!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Me either. This is one of my dream pins.

I also can't wait to play this pin. Ordered all the add ons today. Broke out all my old Vinyl Aerosmith records last night. I must say Rocks is still my favorite by a long shot!!!

Rock theme pins are my favorites. Something about jamming to rock music and playing pinball just go together so well.

I feel this game has potential on route more than collectors. I feel stern believes operators will beleive the people will play this one. A rock pin will always grab a quarter or two from a fan of even just one song.
If that's right I hope to get one on the secondary market. Right now not in the cards.

A king and a queen drop target would have been a fun throw back.

GB was my first NIB game. And I really enjoy it. When I first played it at MGC last year it was fun but most only hit two modes and every hit storage facility multiball.
Now the code is refined and it's awesome. I beleive some of the complaints and feedback in a sane forum were listened to. So last hope someone is watching this one and the game feedback and refine the game.

does anyone know what order Stern is building AERO. Is it the Pros first, then the LE's & then finally the Premiums?

They always do pros first

I talked to my rep from the supplier yesterday & he said Stern's plan is to possibly build the LE's first. I assumed the Pro's were beginning production mid Jan. Looking forward to my LE, but I thought Stern ALWAYS build the Pros first.

Did they announce a price for the topper?

Yeah, it's $400. https://instagram.com/p/BPyD6yPBSfW/

Not with Avengers.

Same with me when I got Metallica. Not a fan of the band but it's just a really good playing pin.

Anyone know of the LEs come with a topper and side blades?

No and No.

If you want those (topper seems underwhelming for the dough) get a Premium and use the money you save to buy those and some lollipop rails, and still have $600 left vs a LE. LE is generally a waste of money (with few exceptions).

I agree with you on that 99% of the time. I couldnt care less about the amount of machines made, numbers, signatures or COAs. But with this one, for some reason I really like the cabnit artwork on the LE the best.

I thought the same thing, without seeing it in person, the topper does look a little cheap in the pics for the price.

... or you can spend a fraction of that and make your own one-off topper (this one, my tribute to Tyler, not Jacky)... both front & rear plexiglass panels are backlit printed on 8ml plexiglass, once I assemble & get the LED's interactive with the gameplay, I'll post it completed.

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Played the game a few times yesterday and today. Good fun. Playfield was a lot more open than I'm used to with Borg games - Centre ramp is a long way back as is the bash toy (joker). Lock shot was a bit awkward and clunky, but the lock-crate kick thingo was cool, as was the multiball start with the balls spewing out.

Code seems pretty complete - got 2 separate multiballs going (the toy box one and and one that starts at the elevator). All the songs are different modes.

Game is not super hard or aggressive like allot of Borg games, but I guess having an open PF helps.

A couple of cool things I noticed that I'm not sure have been mentioned:

- if you're playing a multiplayer game, it looks like you can steal locks from other players.
- there is a VIP pass in the right outlane, which when lit will give you your ball back as if you had ball save still running.
- there's a way you can shoot the ball into the "lock"/ ball launch thing, and if it's not lit for lock, an animation starts where the joker sais something about hitting him on the head. The ball then shoots and instead of opening the crate, he gets hit in the head and sais ouch or something. That's pretty cool.
- seemed to be some stacking of songs possible, but could be wrong. There were times when multiple songs were flashing but wasn't sure how to take advantage of it.

As good as the pro is, I'm curious to play the Premium/LE. No way the $ are justified between the 2, but the upper pf might add a bit of variety, and the upper pf outer ramp/loop thing might be cool. But the pro is definitely a good "value" proposition especially with colour LCD.

Aerosmith live gameplay stream will be on Friday, Feb 10 @ Stern.

Jack Danger just announced it on his stream.

Looking closer at the LE it seems as though a hard shot up the right ramp to the upper playfield has the trajectory of flight potential. Game play will tell. I think a maximum Interstate highway grade is near 10%. Not sure what the maximum slope of a pinball ramp is stated in the American pinball design standards.

Awesome! I love these sneak peeks with Jack.

Ive alwys like the JD preview plays. But the b66 one was laughable. Not his fault that he was previewing that pile of junk. Aerosmith should be a return to form.

The video I saw made the code seem very much incomplete/shallow and lacking any good variety of call outs. I seriously doubt the code is anywhere near complete.

Could be Kiss Part 2.

What I meant is it's pretty complete by Sterns release standards. It's quite playable on release. Most, if not all, features are working and all the songs have individual modes. This one's been baking for a long time. Wouldn't bet the house on whether you'll get substantially more.

The last two games before Batman 66 have launched with really good code. I wouldn't be surprised if code is solid. Batman launch schedule was pushed up and it shows in the code.

Here is our prototype Aerosmith Topper. It has 2 controllers, one with remote for the back panel and one for the front flame effect attached to the back. It comes with 2 10" replica Joe Perry guitars, 3D effect flames and Hi Rez speaker art. I am really happy with how it turned out. I will be taking pre orders so if your interested email me direct, NO Pinside mail .
[email protected]

Thanks
Joe

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Official announcement:

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Does anyone know if the Toy chest has a magnet to assist with catching the ball (similar to the backboard in NBA) or does it just get launched in there and rely on gravity to keep it in? I know that in the games that do rely on magnets that those magnets usually get mangled really quick due to how hard the ball hits them.

No magnet as far as I've seen or heard.

No doubt. Look at BM66 magnet. The steel they used for the magnet is softer than the steel in the balls. WTF? Did everyone at Stern fail Materials of Construction class? Or do they use steel from somewhere other country than the USA? A freakin joke that is keeping me laughing.....

Why would you want the steel of the magnets to be harder than the pinballs rolling around on the playfield during gameplay.

Edit. Wrong thread.

New Stern FB video up

Same reason all the other metal on the playfield is harder than the pinball. Cheaper to replace the balls than other metal stuff.

You may ask yourself, Why don't they use the soft metal used on and around the magnet for everything else that is metal on the playfield? I think one answer could be so " It lasts long and keeps its original non-dinged up look". The BM66 mag looks real Baaaaad. Check it out. Aerosmith looks as its the same.

The dings on the mag will match the dimples on the upper PF if that ramp is too steep....don't cha think? Its the new Pinball Patina.... Served up Stern style....

Happened to me once out of probably 15 launches. It's surprisingly reliable, but guessing the game leveling would affect it.

90% sure there are no magnets - just looks like gravity, but didn't get a chance to take the glass off and have a look.

I think there might be some confusion from some people not knowing how the game actually works. If the "lock is lit" mode isn't enabled and you shoot a ball into the lock zone, the game still launches the ball in the air, only 1/4th the way. To someone not aware this would seem like a faulty launch, when in fact this is by design.

....the Dimples....the Dimples...

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It's because of the way magnets work. It's a necessary grade of steel. They don't make them soft for fun. Soft iron loses its magnetism quickly after the power is cut. The harder the iron, the more residual magnetism. Absolutely useless for a pinball magnet.

I worry that damaged balls would tear up my playfield. Im probably too paranoid about it though. I'm obsessed with replacing game balls.

That may or may not be true about the magnet material, but my statement erroneously misled you. Let me clarify, its the metal ring around the magnet core that is, in my opinion, the inappropriately selected material of construction. Just look at the threads for batman 66 issues. I am looking for a mod by a Pinsider that will give me a replacement magnet edge protection system without showing moon craters on it in the first week. It appears that Aerosmith has the same style magnet with metallic ring. Too bad. Not sure of the actual metal material hardness for the ring and if it will be the same as batman 66. If so, that is unfortunate. Some one asleep at the wheel or something else up there at dreary-eyed Stern. Either way, poor design choice. QA/QC department must have adjoining cubicles with design materials selection folks....

Is the material hardness specification (i.e., Rockwell, Vickers, or Brinell) of other metal playfield components (e.g., ramps, posts, kickers, ball guides, diverters, subways, ball troughs) actually higher than that of a case hardened (soft core) standard carbon steel pinball?

I'd rather the magnet cores show wear as opposed to them damaging the pinballs. Have you ever seen what a pinball with a very small nick in it can do to a wooden playfield?

I don't know the answer to this question, I am not a pinball designer. Above my pay grade. But knowing what I do know, I suggest all ball material will be inconsistent depending on manufacturer. Based on observation my pinballs need replacement before any other metal playfield part, probably true for you too....Why because they get scratched and ding as can be seen with the naked eye from hitting the other metal parts on the playfield (except for maybe the mag ring ). The moon craters on my magnet are significant and way worse than any pinball I have ever observed, even the original pinball from my 1937 Prospector. Lets see the magnet shop drawing BOM and material specification...ASTM WTF?.

Yes I have seen the affects of a goober pinball.
Pinballs are $2 a piece. Not sure what a new core will cost. I would guess those who have issues of dimples affecting gameplay will not be as approving of moon craters on the PF. I could be wrong.
Regular wax and pinball replacement is what I do. I would rather perform regular maintenance than see a crater core, but that's how I roll. Besides, my BM66 LE sucks and when it comes time to sell it, the moon craters are another issue that reduces its price, just as it will likely for Aerosmith, unless they change the F'in material.

Custom Tilt Graphics Inc. GameBlades™
http://www.tiltgraphicsinc.com/aerosmith

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I have not see said magnet on either. Just to be sure I know on my SST the core was slightly protruding through the playfeild. It was bolted to the magnet. Is this still the same way they're doing it. Can someone post a pic of the magnet area in question from either game?

Awesome. Much better then sterns. I hate that every music pin has to be at the concert. seen Aerosmith three times live and still prefer the studio recordings.

The majority of these machines are still sold to the operator market. In a home setting it would be easy to check pinballs often but one damaged pinball could ruin a play field on location in a very short amount of time.