So I picked up a Metallica Pro this last weekend and after spending a full week with this machine and a couple days with the latest fw (1.13), I am happy to say Metallica Pinball is one of the best machines Stern has ever made.

I have been collecting pinball machines since 1996, so I have played, and owned, a lot of different machines. I am even fortunate enough to be around a guy (markmon) that collects pretty much every machine ever created. So I feel comfortable saying I have played a very large variety of machines and have a good feel for what makes a good game.

Metallica is a good, rather great, game. Every shot on this game leads towards completing a goal, and the game itself is not filled with cheap drains from making a shot. At the sametime, the game is sufficently challenging, with a rule set that is still challenging. With 9 unique shots to make in a fan favorite fan layout, the game provides lots of different options on every live catch you make.
The music ties into the gameplay perfectly, and the start of every multiball mode fills you with excitement and satisfaction. Something that seems rare in todays new machines that traditionally offer instant drains for made shots.

The ruleset, while incomplete, is already good enough to let you get a great amount of player satisfaction, and wheat your appetite for more in the future. The legendary Lyman is continuing the rule set creation, which is already great. The most recent update really cleaned up the ruleset and now the progression towards coffin multiball and seek and destroy makes more sense.

As the game sits now you may not be able to complete all the planned modes, but the combination of fuel, sparky, snake, seek and destroy and coffin modes will keep you busy and happy. Once the band member, final wizard and crank it up modes are complete there will be no end to the shot satisfaction that is missing from most every modern game. I am blown away with the quality of this game. Good job Stern, good job!

Having played both a great deal, Metallica is the better buy. AC/DC, while fun at times, is mostly full of frustration due to all the STDM drains and insta-drains from made shots. If you are looking for a music based pin based on music you like, then that should be your deciding factor, but if you are looking for a pin that is balanced with music and fun, then Metallica is definitely the better buy. I would say that the pro version is all you need, even though I am generally a fan of the premium and LE versions, Stern has put great toys on the pro version and I am perfectly happy with the pro version for a change. The hammer is a neat toy, as are the color chaning LED's, but the pro stands on its own as a game that achieves playability and satisfaction.

Good news is Metallica has full orbit flow, combos and great shot design without a ton of cheap instant drain shots. In fact, the only dangerous shot is the drop targets that are safe with a back hand shot. If Steve had done this game then the snake would shoot the ball STDM, the auto launch would just drain in an outlane and the ramps would just put the ball into an outlane.

I was actually worried that this game would suck from the pics of the playfield. Lymans ruleset though, as always, saves the design. The hand drawn art work is also fantastic, and with some custom lighting, this game really comes alive. Ill take a video of what I have done and post it up. I added a spot to the snake and mid-playfield, did the under snake lighting, added mirror blades, some back lighting and flipper lighting and added some lighting in the center to bring it alive. Ill go take a quick attract mode video and post it. I got all the lights from pinballbulbs.com at the last show. Great prices.

Here is a small video of the lights and mirror blades I added. I also put in the Stern shaker, a 96db efficient sub and new back box speakers, but a camera doesn't really capture that.

I responded to a question directed to AC/DC, your emotional addition to my statement is not my concern. I cant help the voices you hear in your mind. Not to mention I have played both games several times. Have you?

Thanks kwiKimart. I had to use premeium bulbs due to ghosting issues on the inserts, but the GI's came out great. I used the purple GI's, and they really lit up the Donny graphics. I really love all this hand drawn art on this game. Stern really made a classic feeling game here.

None that I know of. Hitting the drop targets with the right flipper can be dangerous, but back hand them and they are safe. Realistically, all of the shots can be made without any danger. Generally, you lose the ball when you make a mistake. Something I love about a well designed pinball machine. Your flow should never be interrupted with "Great shot, now let me drain the ball for you."

One of my favorite aspects is the shot build. Every shot you make is working towards completing something, so there are no superfluous shots, which is rare. Building all the lanes to complete a hurry up shot is really fun, and moves you around the playfield while still working towards all the multiballs.

Good to see you attack me personally instead of addressing the details of the ratings.

I cant really tell for sure that Sparky doesn't do any magnet action when you hit him. Sometimes the ball comes screaming out of that shot and takes some massive turns. Of course that could just be the target / feet and my awesome waxing work. I do also wish Sparky would do something a little more with the ball when the m-ball starts too though. He usually just basically drops it straight down to the left flipper.

I also still love XMEN, though I am at capacity and have to let something go here soon, and though I keep thinking about selling it, I always talk myself out of it. The game has so many interesting shots to be made, the rule system is just a bit lacking, though I admittedly have not been able to beat that game yet.

I determined what I think is the best use of completing the seek and destroy lanes. Lite the spider in anything but the GY. Hit sparky then hit GY. Then move spider back to another target, and repeat. You can hit the snake at any point here, since he lights all targets anyway regardless of where the spider is. I am so stuck on completing these spider lanes now that I keep forgetting about all the other multiball items, which isn't a huge problem since just by completing the spiders, all the other stuff just happens. Everything just builds together, its very satisfying.

I actually felt this way too, but then I played my AFM and remembered that the slings and flippers are quite a bit weaker.

The code that came out this week really cleaned up a lot of things. There are still several modes that are not implemented. Its an unfortunate thing, but software updates are now the norm, and because they are easy, games get released very early.

Up next, another pointless post from phishrace quoting something I said and personally attacking me.

Chasing the spider in Metallica sure is fun. I notice sometimes that two spiders will be lit (solid), but I haven't figured out why this occurs. I thought it was due to combos, but it wasn't.

No, its not a completed lane. I need to reproduce it again, maybe there aren't really two lanes lit ever, which is what I believe the intention is. Ill check it out tonight and see if I can get something to happen.

Jeebus, that's some odd issues there. I dont get why the leg bolts would be off, its not like the LE uses a different version, and the steel leg post mounts are pretty solid. I have over 700 plays on mine, and I dont see any noticeable wear any where on the playfield.

Has anyone else noticed that you can only get skill shot confirm on the left lane? Even if I move the target into the right lane, it never counts it as a skill shot. I also attempted moving the target before launching the ball and having it hit that target without moving it.

Super skill shot on MET. Launch ball, live catch, make the same shots and have some buffer over an equally skilled player. The risk is very low if you can control the ball. Plunging into the pop caps is slightly risky, but it also completes your fuel bonus awards, so its not pointless either. That's the beauty of MET. Everything you do, every switch hit, is building towards something. There are no wasted shots.