ST LE is definitely a cool machine.

I think the shots may become a little tiresome for me in home ownership over the years, because of how easy they all are to backhand, but that appears to be that current recipe for popular title: straightforward generic layout, Left/right ramps and loops all backhandable and easy shots, money shot up the middle, lots of bling lighting, dream nerd/music theme. I suppose they will stick to this formula until it runs dry.

It would just fit with the theme so much better than a 20 year old display.

You know how everything in Star Trek is so futuristic, sharp, clean and modern? A high-def color lcd display with cut scenes and animated images would've been awesome. Instead it's a vastly outdated dot display... not exactly state of the art and certainly not futuristic.

I like the DMDs fine, and I totally get the old "you don't play the display" thing. But I really appreciate the need for more modern display devices. In many themes, like ACDC/Metallica, the display being dots matters very little. With a brand new special effects heavy movie license, however? A color display would've fit the theme and the game so much better. Alas it was not to be.

The layout is very noob-friendly. That's not to say it's easy, because you still have the main multiball qualifying on targets, and all the stuff up the middle, which requires dead ball control. But the main shots themselves, the ramps and spinner loop, are all easily backhanded. Just an observation on the possibility of the main 'hook' shots of the game being very easy may lessen the staying power of the machine down the road... only time will tell.