Stranger Things - The Good - The Bad - and the Ugly
After playing the PRO and the PRO only I said right here that the game overall was a cash grab, that little to no effort was put into the game to create the theme from the show. As people debating if the projector would or wouldn't work I said it would work but those types of projectors would lose their brightness over time. The real focus should be on is this or isn't this a good game!
So despite bashing the game, and well a game that has now fallen all the way to 258 in the ratings I will list the good the bad and the really ugly about this game and stern in general.
I got an LE because of the THEME! Theme to me is everything in pinball and because I have one of the WORLDS biggest haunted houses, and at the exit we have all types of horror themed games. I dont 'think Munsters is a very good game (great artwork) but the game itself is boring. I bought that as well because of theme. I don't care about the current value of Munsters (a lot less than I paid) because I'm not selling it today or ever.
Moving on... THE GOOD!
The LE is way better than the PRO by a long shot. In the case of a game like Deadpool I don't see a true reason not to go with the PRO, same with many Stern games. But in the case of Stranger Things you need a Premium or an LE because the projector MOD is amazing. It gives a pinball game an entire new look. This new mod is GOOD for pinball because it means someone is thinking outside the box and honestly I hope someone does it again!
Turning the entire playfield into a blacklight look is amazing even though it should have BEEN INCLUDED with an LE... that is ridiculous! Still shows Stern really thinking outside the box (GOOD). The Ball Lock is really clever again PROPS to Stern. So in short the GOOD is Stern really did try to create something here that was TOTALLY different. I give them two thumbs up!
THE BAD:
Stern should have added more toys especially on the LE... the flashers could have vine covers, it could use a demi dog or something anything. I think so much was put into the main feature they forgot about the rest of the game. This is the bad. Even with all this I like the game I think its actually pretty cool innovative and think mod companies will make up the difference. So I like the game UNTIL WE GET TO THE UGLY!
The UGLY:
NOW THIS IS WHERE THE REAL UGLY KICKS IN... forget the fact that Stern knew about the Blacklight Mod, and didn't include it on the LE because honestly that is HORRIBLE OF THEM! Forget the fact that I got my game and had to take it apart because the project cords aren't even plugged in... SAD but true.
The real UGLY is this game shouldn't have EVER made it out of the factory and into your HOMES! The game simply doesn't WORK!
1) Ugly #1: You can activate a fight with the demi monster my game goes under that mech but comes back adn the drop targets are up catching the ball. The ramp comes down and can't because its hitting the ball, then you shoot balls at a ramp that is about 1/2 inch off the playfield. I'm sure the motor is also straining to get the ramp all the way down. A SERIOUS FLAW they should have fixed before shipping a single game.
2) Ugly #2: I haven't been able to play EVEN ONE SINGLE GAME NOT ONE without the ball getting lost behind the main feature. The machine then takes about 2 minutes trying to find it while you sit there. Then the game says the HELL WITH IT... you LOSE that ball and if that was your 3rd ball the game is over. Then the next game you knock that stuck ball out now you have two balls flying around you drain the first one and obviously your flippers get shut down. I even played one game where TWO BALLS got lost so both got knocked free from playing the game. THIS IS JUST UGLY!
There is NO WAY IN HELL that Stern didn't know this was a problem!!!!!!!!!!!! I talked to other people having the same exact problem.
I had this same exact problem on Elvira we had to remove parts to fix that issue.
As I said before and I will say again... STERN IS NOT THE BEST PINBALL COMPANY THEY'RE JUST THE QUICKEST TO MARKET!
So okay I'll add more UGLY... you pay $9200 for the game, no topper, no toys, not even this blacklight mod are you kidding me plus the game doesn't even WORK!
I WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER STERN GAME until they address these issues. I'm done with Stern. Elvira had a ton of problems and so does this one... do they even CARE ANYMORE?
They knew this game had these issues they should have SPENT ANOTHER however many months to FIX IT but no they shipped it anyway.
Sad day for Stern!
BTW I'm PISSED AT JJP as well (LOL)... Why haven't you released GNR there has never been a more perfect time than RIGHT NOW to stomp all over Stern. But wait ... maybe its because when JJP releases a game it comes more or less fully coded. Maybe they just want their game to be done when a consumer buys the game. Just maybe.
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