Not sure about extremely huge, but they are extremely devoted. Rush trips a trigger in some minds (like mine) and others just don't seem to be capable of digging it. Their loss!

Well, it does have the advantage of not having to listen to Iron Maiden...

One of their greatest songs! Gotta love Xanadu. The video is almost 12 minutes long, and the vocals don't start until almost six minutes in!

But I'd only recommend skipping the first two minutes, if that. That 14 note introductory riff haunts my memory like few others.

Whoa, cool, a pinball reference in a Rush song!

Well, shucks, my new Rush Premium was supposed to be delivered today, on International Rush Day!

But the weather intervened, and now with tomorrow's storm and Xmas, it's not coming until next Tuesday.

Oh well, one must be prepared to alter plans when living in the (Southern) Great White North!

Actually, I am happy it's coming this year at all! My distributor was sold out all year and had been sitting on my $1000 deposit since January, with no future builds scheduled, but they got a few in out of the blue, so I can wait a short while longer.

I should spend the interim figuring out which mods are must-haves, as I haven't been paying attention. Suggestions welcome!

Oh boy, this time tomorrow I'll be enjoying my new Rush Premium!

I deliberately avoided playing one or even seeing one in person all year, so I'm pretty stoked!

Ouch!

Thanks for this! Having that shot register makes a huge difference in the game!

A gift beyond price -- almost free!

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/the-official-rush-owners-club-1/page/194#post-7154941

I don't know why this superior loop fix hasn't caught on. I 3d printed my own and it works 100%!

It snaps on so it certainly isn't going anywhere, and it doesn't reduce visibility or access at all, unlike a big flat piece of clear plastic, which I think will wind up with wear marks underneath as the ball is gonna ride it every time around.

PXL_20230114_034139708 (resized).jpg

Sure has, and I just used PLA since it was all I had, and so far so good! Time will tell, but it doesn’t really get hammered on, it just deflects any vertical component of the ball's trajectory back down. PLA is probably a bad choice if crazy airballs should happen to nail it from above, say, but that doesn't seem likely. Also, it printed just fine without supports in PLA, the creator says something about other materials needing them.

Make sure you clean the channel out where the rail inserts, it fits very snugly.

Gee, I dunno, I'm sure it's cool but I'm waiting on a shaker until they have the Node 10 problem nailed down, just in case the shaker is involved somehow.

Seems to me the game is off the charts awesome already. Adding a shaker later can breathe new life into it someday.

I've been a Rush fan for 47 years. I can't remember ever having a different favorite band. (Well, when I was six, I liked the Monkees, but that was just because they had a TV show, not because of their music!) I was talking to my buddy a while back, and I started getting choked up when I told him how I love Rush so much, I can't even imagine who else would be my favorite if they didn't exist. Nothing comes close. I mean, there is lots of other music I love, don't get me wrong, but Rush just pushes all the right buttons consistently, like no other.

I've loved pinball even longer! I miss the days when they were everywhere, in stores, gas stations, restaurants... Even as a kid I was pretty good at playing. I also had several toy pinballs over the years, which I played until they wore out! As for the real thing, I eventually I topped out at 36 machines, but I'm down to a more reasonable 13 now.

So imagine my excitement when a Rush pinball was announced! I deliberately avoided playing it or even seeing one in person, for the sweet anticipation of it.

As things transpired, I only recently got the game, so I'm still honeymooning of course, but I just want to say how gratifying it is to have my favorite hobby combined with my favorite band. And then there’s the kicker: what a great game it turned out to be, besides!

So glad they didn't make it 10 years ago, it couldn’t have been this cool.

I can't think of another game where the multiballs are this enjoyable. I've been trying to figure out the crazy dense rules on the fly, and it's a treat every time something else clicks. Paying attention in order to switch the diverter to the more advantageous side is another level. "The Weapon" is my new favorite armament (vs the Holy Hand Grenade, natch). The implementation of the music is killer. Even the corny callouts are on point, being familiar with Alex and Geddy's goofball personalities.

Ok, enough effusion, time to go play some more Rush!

PXL_20221228_050221316_2 (resized).jpg

Interested! I was a little surprised to see no protection at all around the buttons when my Premium arrived.

I can see why they wouldn't always push the 5% rebate when it's so much, but I would think you would still get it unless it is specifically excluded somewhere in the terms of the card. Maybe contact Amazon to verify?

As much as I try to tell myself that I don’t mind the cornier callouts, I find they are much more palatable if you turn up the speech attenuation to around 20.

Uhh, yeah. The callouts don't need to be twice as loud as the music! That default must have been decided on by Stern with location play in mind.

I added a powered subwoofer, sounds good enough to me. I don't turn the volume up very loud, as this game is enough (fun) work without being blasted at. (Actual good music isn't about the decibels, unlike that of some other music pin bands I could name.) I am working on adding some new backbox speakers though.

It'd be even better if there was a turntable inside, playing the music from vinyl, right?

You want to talk cheap, I found some 6.5 inch Duals at the thrift store, brand new for $7.50 a pair.

Just need to learn some 3D modeling and tweak a 5.25 adapter up to 6.5...

It looks like they will if I make them off center towards the middle a bit.

I heard that. It's almost like you're playing Russian Roulette when you hit that Start button.

I sure hope Stern comes up with a fix to bulletproof poor Node 10 soon!

Then they must be getting close!

Touché! How did I not see the chance for that myself?!

Yes, which is why Node 10 needs bulletproofing. Bullets aren't blamed on their targets!

It is to indicate that you have a ball locked. (#3 below)

1. Both scoop lights off: no lock
2. Top scoop light flashing: Lock enabled for Far Cry
3. Top scoop light solid: Ball locked for Far Cry, second lock not enabled yet
4. Both scoop lights flashing: Hit either scoop to start Far Cry multiball

At factory settings, you need to hit the standups around the right ramp, then the ramp itself, to enable the lock each time. The difficulty can be adjusted in the settings.

Cool! Although, am I mistaken or is that cabinet art showing through the gaps? Probably a dumb question, but I presume the plan is to duplicate that as well?

Every game is a ripoff of Humpty Dumpty!

I found 3D printing my own loop corrector to be especially gratifying. Works a treat! Here's the designer's original post:

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/the-official-rush-owners-club-1/page/194#post-7154941

My lower scoop was flopping around so much when I got the game, I wondered whether it was supposed to be like that.

But I figured out pretty quickly that that hardware was loose, and I tightened it up easily enough.

The post at the front of the inner loop was also very loose.

The coin box flopping around without its retention clip also had me worried, but I haven't noticed any damage, thankfully. Found the loose clip the first time I raised the pf. I shudder to think of all the unfortunate places that could have wound up!

Hey, I have to thank you, I snagged one of the last sets and they look great! The extra one you included went on my Super Jackpot sign (which I also stuck a color changing bulb into), a sweet bonus! Again, thanks!

PXL_20230318_072536237_exported_536_1679336310459 (resized).jpg

Spooky included a free topper with Rick and Morty, so if I were to buy the Rush topper, I could almost justify it by telling myself the toppers had an average price of $850. Hmmmmmmm....

Nah, still too rich for my blood. When a brand new, decently powered gaming computer costs less than a silly topper, something is wrong.

Sure, maybe it won't lose value and no doubt even appreciate, but by that logic we should all stock up on that crap from Supreme.

I'm glad I haven't seen the expression lights, so i don't feel the need for those either. Helps that I couldn’t be happier with my game as-is, I'm already living the dream! (Well, I will be a teensy bit happier once my Node 10 issue is addressed!)

I second that idea. I even tried setting "max number of players" to 1 hoping it would remove those empty tabs, but no dice.

I gotta say, the Exit Stage Left mod from NinjaCamp is a must-have, even for a skinflint like me.

I initially balked at $135, but I used money I got for some parts lying around, and I am so glad I did! I can tell a lot of thought went into this mod. The rubbery mounting tab is genius; I didn’t even know one could 3D print that kind of material.

For less than 1/12th the cost of the topper, it's a definite no brainer.

Now I just need to remember to look at it!

Just watched YYZ in Rio again. How on earth could they have left this song off the pin? Criminal!

Maybe I'm just old, maybe I'm just cheap, but maybe I'm simply one of the sane people here...

I think the game sounded just fine from the factory.

I did upgrade the backbox speakers by swapping in the speakers out of my Rick & Morty, after I found a pair of slightly larger, brand new speakers at a thrift store for $7.50/pair that would fit in R&M but not in Rush. I also hooked up a sub, another thrift store find. I will admit it sounds noticeably better, and for under $20. I'm completely happy with it.

However, I have trouble entertaining the possibility that a $400 aftermarket speaker/amp setup would sound twenty times better than that!

Sorry, but I have to wonder how much of the claimed improvement in sound is attributable to good ol' confirmation bias. On my setup, too, sure, but especially on a game where someone just spent a pretty penny on all new speakers and an amp. It's just too reminiscent of goofy audiophiles claiming vinyl is superior, tube amps sound better, that kind of thing. You guys do realize this music is played back from digital, right? The horror!

Though I suppose $400 is a drop in the bucket in this age of toppers approaching two large. (Don't get me started on that goofball thing! Couldn’t they have at least made the gears not move so spazzily and sloppily? Looks dumb to me... I have several EMs that cost me less combined than that topper would!)

I don't think I want the expression lights, either. They flash along with the music, right? Well, I have enough trouble concentrating on pinball while such great music is going, trying not to lose balls due to excessive "air drumming" on the flippers. That would be all I need, being sucked into the music even harder with an excellent but extraneous light show!

In summary, when I want to just listen to Rush, my go-to device is certainly not my pinball machine!

Price of the new Stern Rush topper got you down?

Announcing the new budget Rush topper, for those like me who like to watch their pennies!

Ironically, it's The Big Money topper!

It's Money! It's Big! And it's interactive, too!: When you turn it on, it rotates! And when you turn it off, it stops rotating!

Sure, it's US money, not Canadian... but to paraphrase the wise Mr. G. Weinrib: money is money!

Especially when, and this is the inside joke, a real 1909S VDB Lincoln Cent could be worth as much as a new Stern!

Now you, too, regardless of social strata, can bathe in the glory of the Big Money!

Big Money.gifBig Money.jpg

Except... Sorry everybody, I was just joking about selling them, of course. I'm going to leave this one on my game, but anyone else as demented as me would probably want to roll their own, anyway. At least run some flashers to the damned thing. (I do see the coin on eBay.)

Pretty silly idea, overall -- good thing that was what I was going for!

The main reason I made it was that it cost me practically nothing to make. The motor is from the turntable in a microwave oven I got tired of fixing (myself that is; three times was enough!), I discovered the big weird plastic coin in a random auction lot, and the rest I just had sitting around. Take that, Big Money!

(Did everyone catch that? "Watch their pennies"? Man, I slay me.)

Wow, thanks! I can get into this! (Crown Lands)

Talk about Rush-influenced! The bio on their own website mentions Rush six times.

Golly, they are almost more impressive than Rush, if such a thing is possible. The drummer (no slouch) also sings, and the guitar/keyboard guy plays guitar, bass, keyboard and pedals. If Rush's three members made a lot of sound, here's two musicians making nearly as much! The only thing missing is intricate bass lines coinciding with complex guitar...

Not the motor exactly, but its leads with the overtighted zip ties damaging the thinly braided wires, and those same wires being kludged into the wrong size connector pins, are purported to have been identified as the twin causes...

However, the drama continues, as the clock motor may also have the same zip tie problem, and besides that, Node 10s have toasted with supposedly fixed new ramp motors even while the clock was disconnected, to my recollection.

So it would seem the driver board itself is under-engineered, wanting for more protection circuitry for the motor driver chip.

My own game went poof after I had performed a connectorectomy. I finally gave up on my distributor getting me a new board and emailed Stern, and I had a new board in 2 days, so I'm leaving my clock disconnected for now to see what happens (or hopefully doesn’t happen, that is). If everything seems okay, I'll be afraid to plug the clock back in, but I guess I will have to eventually, fingers crossed.

Hey gang, who else has noticed that the instrument callouts on the drops have to be a nod to Al's Garage Band Goes On a World Tour? I'm guessing that was Ed's idea...

Oh, come on, it's genius how each shot represents the next of the many parts of the song.

I usually pick Villa as my main song. Been a favorite for 45 years.

I would buy a whole 'nother Rush pin with the theme of Clockwork Angels, with a 100% steampunk vibe.

Speaking as an almost 50 year fan, their last album is my favorite. Criminally underrated.

I already have a better Red Barchetta, and the day I pay money for LPs they can just call the guys in the white coats.

58% off is nice, though. Heh, although I still wouldn't buy the Stern topper even at 58% off...

Guys, are the newer rules really that much harder?

I ask because I am reluctant to reset my high scores since I have a Grand Champion score just shy of 10 billion, which I put up on one of my early games utilizing good old beginner's luck. But I note I can't seem to get anywhere near it now, and it's frustrating. I think I have it set up steeper now, too. I suppose I should wipe them.

Gee, I wonder why it was stuck down?

If it were me, the machine would have been dark as I left...

I'm sure I would also "love" the expression lights. However, I am having trouble picturing how having a mesmerizing light show would not detract from the ability to play well.

A room with a game in it technically qualifies as a game room in my book.

Especially with a game like Rush!

The same logic works for me, and explains the cringe I get when I hear a brit say "maths."

Then again, that would mean the same cringe I get when they say "sport" instead of "sports" is unjustified... <shrug>

I see where you're coming from, but "math" is just about always used in the plural. No one says "Frank taught me a math." Thus, no need for the S. And I doubt anyone says "I'll kick you in the butts" (short for buttocks). Why an "s" on "math" but not on "butt"? Everyone does say abs, glutes, pecs, quads, carbs, congrats, and reps, though. A real head scratcher!

Actually, I think it boils down to math being a field of endeavor, like science, philosophy, etc. Thinking of the entire field as one thing.

On a related note, y'all must be satisfied how the British way of conjugating "is" with collective nouns seems to be taking over. I grew up used to hearing, for instance, "Rush is a band." It's right there in the sentence, the word "a" which is a definite article indicating ONE of something.

"Rush are a band" will always sound goofy to me. (Or, sadly, "were"...)

OMG The word "a" is an INdefinite article, glad I realized before anyone corrected me! Though the error is beside the point anyway.

However, I wouldn't argue with someone saying "Rush is the band" either!

I have that ESL mod and I can't say it helps me all that much, so far anyway.

Wish the record LED was brighter.

Or if you have a 3D printer you can roll your own superior one.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/the-official-rush-owners-club-1/page/194#post-7154941

I would think the code update was a coincidence, some switch went wonky. I can't imagine a bug changing the game's behavior after a reboot.

I never liked how Geddy chides you how he does everything he does and "you can't even hit the ball?" at inappropriate times.

I have turned humor to minimum and I cannot discern any difference. The setting does nothing as far as I can tell.

I was talking about the quote playing when Freewill just started! It might make sense if the ball behind the drops has been there a little while at least.

Hardly. I have more of one than most people. How is it funny if he says it immediately upon entering Freewill? If anything, it wrecks the funny.

"The Professor" on the drum kit.

That was one of Neil's nicknames.

Is anyone else finding that switch test is broken since the update?

Okay, thanks, so I guess it wasn't the update then.

What would cause this? Game works fine, but gives a tech alert on the shooter lane switch. Went into diag, and the switch indeed doesn't register, but it still fires the launch solenoid like it thinks your finger is a ball! Then we realize none of the switches are registering in the test! This happened as, sadly, I was selling the game. He still bought it so I would like to help figure it out for him!

Believe me I did not want to. It was either that or continue living life without a car. I plan on buying another someday.

Not all "light bulbs" are bulbous these days. BFD, find something else to get picky about!

For instance, I hear some people refer to pinball machines as "tables"! *GASP!* Now that one is a corker, actual tables are pretty level, so shit won't slide off! But wait, it gets worse: pinballers will call a machine that is obviously slanted "leveled"! The humanity!

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/the-official-rush-owners-club-1/page/279#post-7556704