tl:dr.

SW has long been under my radar, I was aware of the game and played it here and there but really had not much thought on the game until the last few months. Initially the rules and layout didn't click, I would relate this to TWD which I didn't like until it was out for some time.

I was searching for a pin to replace my AcDc and I thought to get a newer pin like JP, DP, Maiden, or Wonka. I played a bunch of games on these pins and more (BK, Elvira, Beatles, GotG, GoT, GB, MB, MM remake) and SW to the mix, the new comic art caught my attention. The more I played SW it started to grow on me and I watched a bunch of video tutorials and reading the rules. Eventually I got the understanding of bonus multipliers etc..

I played both SW pro and premium and prefer the premium because of the hyper loop. To me this is the main feature of the premium and really would not like the game as much in pro form. I think pro is great fun but just that I attach a lot of weight to the toys and hyper loop is one of my all time favorite toys.

I'll start with the negatives:
-not a fan of the ball launch. I am not sure how much can I adjust the ball guide but it's not possible for me to hit the stand up targets and then the drop targets and don't think the drop targets are ever in play at launch. It's not consistent to me and many SW I played on location the ball launch location is all over the map.
-voice actor and call outs are not the greatest.
-sometimes the ball will rocket so fast out of the orbits that it can jump over the flippers.
-video mode, I don't hate it but imo it should be only seen once in a game.
-pop bumpers there are just 2 and they make clacking sound more than any of my other pins.
-Death Star ramp, it's fine but less satisfying than a true ramp and can block the right orbit when it's up.

Now the Positives:
* * * Theme this is the mother of all pinball themes and being the original trilogy and having film assets is fantastic. Contrast to JJP Potc not the best, Wonka, JP and more have had less than perfect use of assets, SW does it right. I won't say any pin like Wonka is totally wrong but to me with SW and having film clips and callouts in the modes is the way to go and a major coup for Stern. I was a teen when SW came out and the original trilogy is my ideal theme.

- Layout I love the ramps (Steve Ritchie knows how to do ramps) Inner loop (I am a nut for inner loops) orbits and super spinner. Drops and stand ups are dangerous but important (risk reward).
-Toys (not a lot) the tie fighter on a spring is fine (might have been better if interactive like the Vengeance on ST) The hyper loop steals the show. I rate it with the magnet ring in LotR in satisfaction as well as well engineered, fun and exciting. It's a tough shot right flipper with time running so it's always exciting. Death Star toy (I have not seen it in action yet).
-Rules this is what brings it up in my eyes. There is so many modes to pick and they feel different (more-so than some games like ST) I love hurry up shots (maybe this is overkill in hurry ups but to me it's not too much). I also love the risk reward of the bonus multiplier I haven't moved them in play and it's sometimes distracting to keep them up. Love the side modes like Boba Fett, Light Saber battle, Hyper Loop MB, Tie fighter MB and so on. I have not got too far in the game not destroyed the Death Star but I like that some of the good stuff is not too far out of reach. I think it gives enough early in the game but a lot of stuff to reach for.
-Art think it's very nice. I have the comic and love cabinet and PF, the display makes great use of the film assets.
-light show is great, lots of lights and good use of them to bring out the modes (like hyperspace MB).
-Sound effect and sound quality are great.
-Build quality (so far so good).
-Like that it feels finished, I don't feel like I need to add any mods (got shaker) but besides that, I think it's pretty ok as it shipped and I don't want any dolls, the one Falcon is well done and doesn't feel like too much or too little.
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It's very brutal (TWD like) not often do I get a long game but there seems to be a lot off the bat, one video online shows start with R2D2 and all you need is one mode complete and you can start destroy the Death Star.

I have seen the light saber battle and Boba Fett mode a few times. I have got 40x multiplier but I am not good enough to make any big shot while on 40x but I can see how that could be a rush.

I am not a buyer of all new games so I like to be very picky. But I like to support Stern who kept pinball alive and is going to a lot of effort to make such great games so I like to give them a new sale. The new art is more icing on the cake so I wasn't buying a 2 year old pin it's nice to have something that is already complete but in a new package. I am not a Stern fan all the time, they do a lot fo things that I don't agree with but can't design they have made some great pins.

I sold AcDc several months ago so I would have room and money to buy something new, I didn't think of SW at the time but as I was looking at all the other options SW just grabbed me more than others (DP and Maiden would be my other picks).

here's a great video, have not watched it all yet but a lot of point to be scored if you can play well.

I don't like to put modes on stacking because I like to follow the flow of the movies not like to be on Endor and Hoth at the same time for example. But I can see how stacking modes would make for more points and for getting through more modes.

Sometimes because AcDc shoots so well but having both SM and ST premium (gives me a lot if that kind of flow).

If I hadn't got SW, I think would have gone with Iron Maiden, had Maiden pro in my collection for 4 months but only put on like 120 games, by contrast SW have put 70 games in 5 days.

Here is how easy it can be to destroy the Death Star, takes this guy just over 4 minutes (could have been done quicker if had not lost the ball twice). I understand that is just a tiny bit of the game but just like that something that can be perceived as a goal can be done fairly quick (I liken this melting the witch in Woz). I have the video start just at the first ball.

It is not great that if you have hyper loop or tie fighter hurry up active that it cover up the mode display you are playing. I understand that it meeds to be a prominent display but not sure that it needs to cover the entire display and thus cover the mode shots needed.

I am going to try for the Death Star so that I can see how the toy looks on the premium.

Note the pro is easier to make the Death Star shot (easy backhand on the pro), I am able to backhand the DS/fork ramp sometimes but it's not easy.