The game looks awesome. I think Stern allowed Steve to go nuts because they're not paying any IP money so why not go NUTS!

This game looks so bad ass!!! Great job Stern!

That is totally WRONG! I don't think you understand how this game is being sold and has been sold. High end retail stores sell this as fast as they can put it on the floor. Super Rich people buy this for their basement. WOZ is more like a collector game like artwork, its the single most nostalgic movie in history. I'd bet the massive percentage of people who buy it don't collect pinball its like artwork for the themed basement.

That game is probably already sold out.

Does WOZ Yellow Brick Road look like a game as fun as Black Knight? NO WAY Black Knight looks amazing but WOZ is a totally different market.

Every game appeals to different people in different ways. BTW I should have said THEMED GAME ROOM ONLY not basement. Black Knight rocks that is all that matters. But dont 'kid yourself WOZ will sell just fine but to a different group similar to the person who paid 25k for Beatles. LOL

No matter I'm buying the Black Knight looks like the best game Stern has ever made.

Review:

Black Knight is a serious let down of a game. Let me start with the LE/Premium anyone who overpays for this game and buys one of these is making a serious mistake. The upper playfield is the worst upper playfield I've ever seen EVER! There is no point to it... they could have done a castle look, maybe added like the mechs from Scared Stiff (Frogs) when you hit something like a monster pops up, something anything to shoot at. They could have taken torches and a castle look up there with some monsters, but nope. You just get to shoot at a very odd and very weird looking ball lock mech. This blows the theme of the game totally, and otherwise is just boring and out of place.

Paying even 50 cents more for a premium/le is a serious mistake. Secondly, I don't see this game earning on location, it will be another TNA, a game that just sits there making no money. People can complain about games like Ghostbusters but that game makes seriously money, but the mass majority of pinball players play casual and gravitate to a theme they know like Ghostbusters, ACDC, or even Dialed In because the game looks super neat.

Black Knight doesn't measure up.

The game itself is NOT as fun as the versions that came before it... yes the sound is better, graphics, and all that but strip all that away and it boils down to is the game better and the answer is NO!

While at the show many of the premiums where getting fixed and fixed a lot ... one person told me hey these are prototypes and they might need to make adjustments to the upper playfield.

Another knock on the game is the music sounds cool for about 30 seconds, but it never stops same thing over and over again. Maybe some code updates will add more songs or something. Who knows.

Now moving onto the only version you should consider... the PRO!

This game is very much like Houdini which lots of people complained about... you miss a shot its coming right back at you!

There is only one rail and no real ramps, there just isn't a whole lot going on in this game, and honestly I think you would get bored of it fast.

With all that being said the toy in the middle is cool, the music is hard thumping, the video graphics are cool very similar to Iron Maiden (must be the same person). Its not far off from say Aerosmith, you just get bored of it after a while but what makes the game better is you actually might like Aerosmith.

This game rests solely on the game itself because there is no ACDC music to fall back on.

As a game and nothing more, and projecting the long term value of it, I'd give this game a 6.8. I do think you'll see this game in heavy rotation at tournaments, but much like TNA, you'll play it for a little while then want to move it out soon after.

This is not Stern's best game for sure! I know a lot of people may disagree with me, but I think I'm right in 6 months you'll see everyone who buys it trying to sell the game for something different, while people who say POTC still won't be selling their game.

There just isn't a lot to fall in love with here, this game is cool on some levels, but its just not a long term keeper, and will never be considered a CLASSIC which is what it was trying to replace I would guess.

There is only one take away, before you get all bent out of shape at my point on review. Every time a new game comes out, its super cool right because its just that brand new. I think one main thing all pinball games share is you can get bored of a game after a while right? That is why so many games are bought, sold and traded. You want something new, something fresh, and that game is fresh for how long before you go uhhh not playing that one anymore time to trade it out.

This Black Knight game will be one of the games you grow old of faster than almost any other game you've ever bought. This game will get so old so fast, but thinking way way ahead, meaning after Jurassic World, after Elvira 3, after Guns N Roses, after Cactus Canyon. Right... that's when everyone starts to re-focus on the NEW game and what is new after that.

The first game you'll look to dump is Black Knight, so if everyone is dumping their black knight what will the resale value be?

Buy it today for 5700 and a year from now they're selling in the 4's for SURE!

LE you'll never move that thing EVER ... you paid 9500 which honestly will be giving donating your money, you'll be dropping down into the 6500 range to get rid of it. That is my prediction, so for me I'd stick with the PRO, which is the only game you'll see in tournaments I would imagine.

Even though I'm confused by the theme of Ocktoberfest, that game was way way way more fun to play. If I was going to choose between Black Knight and Octoberfest it would be Octoberfest all day long.

Again just my opinion.

Stern wants you to waste 9500 on this game (LE) then reading a full review, with a lot of thought behind buying today, selling a year from now, its worth reading. Let me tell something to all the haters out there, you don't have to agree with anyone's opinions, but getting those opinions in many cases makes you think about your own. My opinions change based on a rational argument, if after reading my comments, you might rethink the whole thing and do the smart thing and forget an LE or Premium and just go pro. That is the smart move or just skip the game all together and wait for the next Stern.

The Black Knight Swords of Rage when given time to marinate will ultimately be judged as the worst of the three Black Knight games, and for operators a big money loser. The game just doesn't have the eye appeal for an original theme, to attract casual players like say Dialed In.

I'm only putting a review out there that helps you think past the slick marketing video Stern produced... which btw I liked as well.

I like games for different reasons, I think Shadow is one of the worst movies ever made, with that being said I'm not a huge fan of the game. Again an opinion. Star Wars is a money grab game in my opinion, the biggest movie franchise in history deserved an EPIC game... Star Wars is NOT an epic game. Again my opinion. As for Iron Maiden I like that game, its fun, but I am not a fan of the band.

But get your facts straight... I rated the LE/PREMIUM LOW not the PRO. Why? Because its a RIP OFF, you charge almost double and you do almost nothing to warrant the cost. The pro is almost essentially the same game as the LE, but you charge basically double. That is a Stern money grab which is why I rated the LE LOW because the jacked up price is in my opinion a rip off.

The pro is a good game, and if you like Iron Maiden then you'll be much happier paying half the price.

Dialed In has that massive bright colorful screen with all those animations it draws you in. Most pincades are dark by nature, the Black Knight is a dark game its not going to have the curb appeal for an original theme as Dialed In c'mon that goes without saying. You'd have to be blind not to come to the same conclusion.

None of that matters, you place old Ghostbusters and Black Knight side by side for 6 months count the coins, that is the ONLY thing that matters.

You talk to anyone who runs an arcade who has say TNA ask them how much money it makes? Virtually nothing... the themes that work have serious curb appeal, or a movie theme people like. This is just common sense brother.

You like many others seem to think you're the industry, you're NOT the industry. The industry is people who own NO pinball games at home, which btw is over 99% of people in the ENTIRE WORLD! You're less than 1% of probably 1% of people who want pinballs in their home. The mass majority of money that goes into games come from people out at an establishment who own no pinballs, no arcades, no anything. They play casually and are drawn to a game the mass majority of the time based on the theme.

But aside from that Black Knight is NOT a great pinball game.

That is my opinion but the rest are facts.

I totally get your point, however I gave a fair review of Iron Maiden Pro... and with the LE I just think Stern is trying to do a money grab. If you want to charge double then bring something to the table.

What did they bring that was worthy of paying double that of the pro? I don't think we will ever get that answer.

The pro is a great pinball game, probably one of the best ever made, for myself I'm not a fan of the Iron Maiden music, but still the game is awesome.

The LE is a money grab.

If you're talking about me that might be the dumbest thing I've ever heard anyone say. So me giving a review is going to somehow push games I do own into the top 100... Please explain that one? Every single game I own is already in the top 100, and could very easily fall out of the top 100 for that matter. Beatles isn't very popular game here on Pinside didn't stop me from buying one. I understand why people don't like the game, but I like the theming Stern did to that game. I think its one of their best efforts yet, and even though the game is simple I think that adds to it... the casual player can have fun playing it.

I don't care if Beatles falls out of the top 1000 I like what I like and its not to influence a game into the top 100 that is just a stupid comment.

I like strawberries you like apples, so what does that have to do with anything. You give ONE review and I give ONE review. If you spend 5 hours explaining why beer tastes better than lemonade its not going to influence me to drink beer. I don't drink beer I think is taste terrible however you may have acquired a taste for it you like I don't. Doesn't mean we can't be friends. We just like some different things for different reasons.

Just so everyone understand I design attractions all over the WORLD... I'm an attention to detail person, I really focus on the attention paid to every single detail. I mostly buy games whereby I like the theme itself with exceptions. Wizard of Oz is the best themed game ever created, but not the most fun pinball... I still own the game. Batman 66 isn't as themed as WOZ but the game is way more fun... but still very well themed. I love that game the most. I don't care if Batman gets rated the worst game I like it so if I share my opinion its an opinion nothing more.

I like Iron Maiden as a pinball game but I HATE the theme so I’m not going to give it a 10 because I don’t like the theme... what part of that is hard for you to understand. Iron Maiden is NOT that popular band in the USA, they’re super popular in Europe, I don’t think they have ever had a hit top 40 song in the USA. Iron Maiden has a cult following much like Kiss doesn’t mean they’re everyone’s cup of tea. Iron Maiden is not Queen, Beatles, or anything in that league.

So I’m NOT a fan of the theme its not getting a 10 from me. I loved AC/DC and I love their music the game is fun, the LE looks amazing it gets a great rating from me. I’m not sure why you don’t understand everyone can have a difference of opinion.

I had an Iron Maiden and btw I own a pincade ... do you know which game got the LEAST amount of money? You guessed it IRON MAIDEN!

So I sold it. Terminator 2 made 4 times more money than a brand new Iron Maiden.

You know which games make the most games like Ghostbusters, Deadpool, Metallica but not Iron Maiden and I’m betting not Black Knight.

So let me be super clear, Black Knight PRO is okay, but the LE/Preimum just doesn’t warrant paying more than a PRO.

TONIGHT I looked at a Black Knight sitting right next to a LOTR... you have to ask yourself what happened? One game looks like its loaded to the gills with stuff, ramps, toys, and then you look over at BK and you ask yourself where’s the beef?

I’m mainly only saying Black Knight is a game you buy but ONLY the pro because anything more you’re getting ripped off.

Look at Munsters LE with that really cool looking lower play field, you look at it and say oh yeah that is why i’m Paying more. What do you get for paying an extra 4K for an LE? Basically NOTHING!

I have to say some people can’t respect other people’s opinion. I have nothing against those who think Iron Maiden is the greatest band who ever lived. I have nothing against those who pleaded make Iron Maiden game, or those who want a Judist Priest pinball either. Good for you that someone made Iron Maiden who didn’t deserve it based on success on the charts. Kiss is another band who created a massive fan base without actually having music that the mass majority of music lovers embraced. Good for them.

Kiss, Iron Maiden are two of the most unsuccessful charting bands in history that made the most money. I guess at the end of the day what matters is the bank account, so that makes them successful.

We can’t ever put Iron Maiden in the same league as Queen, Led Zepplin, Beatles, or even bands without pinball games like Def Leppard or even Poison for that matter who had #1 hits. I would bet anyone on this site $1000 if we polled 100 random people at a mall, mabye 2 in 100 could name even one Iron Maiden song.

If I polled the same people can you name 1 MJ song it would go to 90 out of 100. Musically Iron Maiden has their fans who love them live by them just like the fans of Grateful Dead, but like Iron Maiden Gratefull Dead the mass majority of music fans don’t know their songs.

These are facts not opinions. So I’m very very sorry that I’m very knowledgeable about music and am not a fan of Iron Maiden. Iron Maiden fans love Iron Maiden, and everyone else never heard of them. Even people who don’t like Bruce Springsteen still knows 5 or 6 of his songs... when people know your LOGO but don’t know your songs you’re not legendary music band. LOL

All that matters is Iron Maiden is a good pinball game, I had the game set up on a location and no one put quarters into it because of the THEME!!! ALmost everyone I talked to never heard of Iron Maiden. On the other hand AC/DC, Metallica same genre right ... loaded with quarters.

I sold the game for two reasons... 1) It didn’t make money. 2). I personally don’t like Iron Maiden.

Great pinball game YES, wish you could swap it out for music from say Nirvana.

I will NEVER SELL my AC/DC or Metallica.

Here is the point I rate games my way and the theme, and theming of the game have a lot to do with it. That is my opinion. Respect that.

I respect and fully understand many here love Iron Maiden its fine! Good for you!

But opinions and facts are two different things, facts Iron Maiden has a lot of fans and I’m not one of them. Fact most people in the US do not know Iron Maiden’s music hence the pinball game didn’t make money.

THEME IS IMPORTANT on location but has nothing to do with what you collect inside YOUR HOUSE. Figure out the difference YOUR HOUSE vS LOCATION!

Ghostbusters HUGE money maker, Iron Maiden is NOT!

Black Knight will not do good on location because of the THEME!

That is the point.

Lastly I’m saying the LE is not worth the money because the upper play field is an epic flop. My opinion!

I already said I would bet you $1000 dollars put your money up brother! We'll go to any mall in America people don't know Iron Maiden music but Iron Maiden fans. People who're not fans of U2 still know their songs. I already admitted they've made a lot of money like Kiss thru licensing. Their logo is a brand all by itself, people who don't even listen to their music might have their t-shirts. They've been very clever at marketing but their music hasn't resonated chart topping hits. Metallica broke thru with thrash metal, and had hits and hits played during every sporting event in America. I dont think I've ever heard an Iron Maiden song during a football game... but Queen, Metallica yup. This is getting way off the point... Iron Maiden pinball is beloved by pinball collectors. We're not doubting that.

On location because Iron Maiden is NOT ACDC, Metallica, or the soon to release Guns N Roses doesn't make money. Ghostbusters a game that has been trashed sideways on Pinside, makes TONS of money. Because the mass majority probably 90% of every dollar that goes into a pinball game, comes from someone who doesn't not own, or have a desire to own a pinball game in their house. Just casual players out with friends. That is your market!

Iron Maiden is very popular in Europe and many of their songs have charted there, Stern made this game because they sell around the World not just in the USA. Believe it or not but kylie minogue is bigger than Madonna in Europe she tours there but doesn't tour here.

Queen when Freddy was around mostly toured Europe and South America because that is where they had their biggest fan base.

Queen later became bigger than ever thanks to movies like Waynes World where people got exposed to them for the first time. Now Queen is bigger than ever in the USA. Iron Maiden is one of the most unique bands ever because they sold pretty good despite never getting played on the radio really. Good for them. They have die hard fans who follow them like religion. They've sold 3 or 4 albums that reached a million, but just because the band said they sold 100 million ahhh no way in hell do I believe that. Their most popular album ever World wide was just under 2 million so how did they get to 100 million... maybe because this band has made like 40 albums I don't know. LOL

Look man all I'm saying to you is this... Black Knight on location won't do well, TNA doesn't do well, and Iron Maiden doesn't do well either not in the USA

The people NOT on this website want to play Ghostbusters, ACDC, Deadpool, Star Wars, Guardians of the Galaxy, etc.

That is all I'm saying.

I think on message boards, no one can ever truly understand what someone is or isn't saying. But we actually agree 110%!

Iron Maiden has an amazing and very loyal fan base, and as I said and you said without radio play, without some big theme anthem hit like Enter Sandman, these guys are filthy rich.

Kiss is the USA version of Iron Maiden for Europe. Neither band really has mainstream hits, they created super loyal fan bases there is no doubt there.

This has nothing to do with my point... that on location what matters is the THEME of the game. Iron Maiden as dedicated as their fan base is doesn't expand out of that box. Even the guy who loves Nirvana probably still likes Billy Jean or knows the song. People who love Marvel movies probably still have seen Ghostbusters at some point. The same person who only likes Celine Dion still knows ACDC, heck any stadium in American plays the same three bands over and over again: QUEEN - METALLICA - ACDC and maybe some Quiet Riot, or Guns N Roses.

How can you escape those bands you can't, you hear this in movies, tv shows, stadiums during football games.

Iron Maiden is NOT played on any of those things. Bottom line I'm only saying the THEME of the pinball game is what matters on location. In your home its what you like what you want. There is a difference.

Someone said I don't offer facts so here are some facts for you.

Queen - ACDC - Metallica - Nirvana - Michael Jackson - KISS and Iron Maiden all came prior to the Youtube age. So no matter 70's 80's or 90's they're all pre-youtube days. Meaning their accounts got created long after their success had all been well established. Even during the start of Youtube it wasn't as big as it is today.

Maroon 5 is successful today so their songs have strong following on Youtube much more so than bands who are overall historically bigger... Maroon 5 has 25 million subscribers and over 12 billion views on their videos. We can all agree they're good but they're not legends like in their lane Madonna who has 2 million followers and 2.5 billion views on her videos. Had Madonna done it all over again TODAY she'd probably have 50 million followers and 20 billion views see the point?

So lets compare bands/groups

Iron Maiden has 1 million followers good but only 312 million views on their songs. To the point the band is bigger than their music.

Oddly enough Kiss another band without hit songs has only 295 million views on their songs. Nearly the same.

Now lets look at ACDC another band who created a Youtube page way later like Iron Maiden.

ACDC 3.3 BILLION views on their music and 4.7 million subscribers. Metallica 5 million subscribers and 2.4 billion views. Queen 9.3 million subscribers 4.9 BILLION views. Micheal Jackson 13 million subscribers and 6.7 BILLION views... if his music was TODAY he'd have over 100 million subscribers and who knows 100 billion views. Nirvana 4.1 million subscribers and 2.4 billion views. I could make a list like this for a decade...

Iron Maiden marketing is bigger than their music, people don't know their music, they never had a hit anthem song. Hence when you put an Iron Maiden pinball on location because most people do not know their music or the band, they will move over to Ghostbusters at least in the USA.

Pinball games make more money on location when the THEME is known to them! This is the ONLY point I'm making. These are facts not opinions.

I had an Iron Maiden great game, no one played it, no one knows the band. I sold the game.

Black Knight on location will not do well overall on location, next to Ghostbusters, Deadpool, or even Monopoly.

But as a game its got a few things going for it but the PRO is the way to GO.

OMG... you know there are like a million different kinds of charts but the only one that matters is sales. The highest sales charting song of Kiss all time is Beth, which reached #6, it was also the ONLY top 10 hit they ever had. Furthermore they have no #1 hits, and oddly enough their biggest selling album was the album that featured Beth, and they kicked him out of the band.

Most of their albums sold between 500,000 units to 1 million units. They have no #1 hit, however they do have an anthem song unlike Iron Maiden (Rock N Roll All Night) which is their most well known song, only hit like 45 in the charts.

Iron Maiden never had a #1 or even a top 10 hit, and maybe one of those songs reached like 37 or something.

Neither band is known for their music as much as their stage shows. There are without a doubt the two single most successful bands who never really had any authentic hit songs.

Nothing changes the fact that both of these bands COMBINED have less views on their music than ONE Metallica song. How is it if they're so popular does Metallica or ACDC have more views on ONE song than two bands between them made over 50 albums have combined? OVER 50 ALBUMS between them and between all those songs combined they cant match one song from Nirvana. Again they're really popular like the Grateful Dead with their fans but they don't have fans outside that window.

Kiss is bigger in the US and Iron Maiden is bigger in Europe.

There is one Skynyrd song "simple man' that someone uploaded that has almost as many views as all the Kiss songs combined. Why because Skynyrd is one of the most talented musical groups ever assembled.

Kiss and Iron Maiden have pinball games because that's what they do that is how they make money, licensing their brand to almost anything. While real bands like LZ, Doors, Nirvana or Lynyrd Skynyrd, Queen, sell music.

There is a difference but you know none of this has anything to do with Sterns new game. Start a music theme and we'll debate all day long would be fun!

I said the exact same thing not only is the music repetitive but the game itself is as well. There isn't much to do in the game and to me it appears they didn't even try to make the game look like you're getting your money worth. The pro like the LE has one main toy and two plastic cut outs. I think this game will be judged harshly over time, and lose a ton of value. But I agree if you're going with this game grab the pro because that is the game that will be used in tournaments. At MGC they were selling pros for only $5,100 and that was the time to buy one.

I do agree that if they're going to improve this game they will need to add code to add more songs, or music and I hope they do. The mod industry hopefully can come up with some idea's to improve the look of the game because it needs it badly. I think the game could have used something we've seen before in attack from mars or Scared Stiff, where the monsters you see on screen could be shot at inside the game. Oh well.

Looking forward to Jurassic World.

At Midwest Gaming Classic they were selling the game for $5100 in fact all their games were discounted. For one all of them where getting used all weekend, there has to be a discount for that, there is no shipping, and you're picking them up and leaving with them.

I don't know this for a fact but I would bet at the Chicago Pinball show they do the same thing.

But I don't know never went.

They did not sell their Premiums and probably for good reason... almost every single one broke over and over again. Apparently the locking mech on the upper playfield had a lot of issues. The pros worked fine.