I am moving into a new home and most of my games are in storage awaiting the new games room to be built. My Met Pro is playable, but no power point nearby, so it hasn't been played in about 6 months. It will feel like a new game when I move in.

Still love Metallica's music, but don't really listen to the current albums. The game didn't have that one more play feel to it like Tron. I wonder if KISS will have that?

Interested to hear now that TWD has more code. Is TWD code any good now, and is it complete?

Oh man...

I really am starting to come around to MET again. Putting on headphones while playing makes all the difference for me. I also like playing TWD quite a bit.

MET has a more traditional fan layout and flow with more "safe" shots. The only shot I don't like on the table is CIU as the shot lucks in from the sling about 7 times more often than an accurate shot from the left flipper.

TWD really only has 3 safe shots, The right orbit and the ramps. The u-turn back into the shooter lane is a better shot than CIU on MET, but the feed comes out of the pops (yikes!).

I could go on a while about this... but I believe your best option is to ask yourself:zoidberg.jpg

I play at a location with only these two next to each other. Long story short I would want to own either. They're both fun games with good code. I think the fit and finish with the dirty Donny art and metal ramps on MET is really nice, but I also really like the cabinet art on TWD. Both games are polished and deep at this point, my honest opinion is just go with your gut on which game you like more in this case!

TWD code blows met code out of the water. More to do, more to shoot at. Modes and integration are fun, balanced, and achievable! Plus it doesn't have a grindy style ruleset. Horde is based on good play so it can be easy to get to, but no gimmie and is a bad ass well done mode. If siege is just shooting x # of jackpots then hitting the riot shot (similar to sparky MB) then it's an achievable wizard mode too (I've had that final shot lit so many times but keep choking it lol). LMS on the other hand is equivalent to EOL and a bit of a grind, rightfully so.

Overall, there's more to do and more strategy in TWD and it doesn't take a ton of shots to get the board going.

Sparky vs Prison walker: prison walker is better IMO. Tighter shot with the optic sensor and bashing the zombie inside is hella fun.

metal ramps on Metallica are probably the best alternating and feel good ramps I've ever played. They're awesome! But every shot on TWD is a feel good rewarding shot. And the multiball fun on TWD is one of the best.

TWD cons:

- well walker placement and size; while 10X better than wolverine, his arm blocks nearly the entire word of inserts 'prison' from players view.

-call outs lack theme integration; but thanks to cleland and Mulhouse, the sound package is now respectable and enjoyable! MULTIIII KILLLLLLL!

I'm biased cause I own Met pro, but it's not even close IMO. I've played TWD plenty on location and while it is fun, I just don't get the adrenaline rush that Met delivers. The art and metal ramps on Met are just smooth and sweet, the call outs by band members are a lot better than non existing actors in TWD, and Sparky is a much better bash toy than that ugly placed well walker. I really like TWD series and books, but the overall delivery doesn't do it for me. Plus look at all the sweet mods that you can add to Met!

I've started to make that shot by taking the orbit from the right when the post is down, then if it has proper speed, it will go down the left and bounce off the relaxed flippers into the scoop (same as a super skill shot with relaxed flippers).

I've had both and both are fantastic pins. If your interested I'm selling my TWD Pro up here in York so I'm close by. I have a for sale ad posted so you can check out all the extras I have on it as well. Let me know if your interested.

Wanted to bring this one back. Now with code updates, where do all of you stand on the voting?

I'm considering adding one of these to my collection.

Take both - for me MET is more the "Longplayer" and TWD is the "fast and furious ass kicker".
Both have really a nice flow, and can give you an adrenalin rush.
So if you can play 20 games on each and take the one you like

What game has the more achievable wizard mode?

I own both games love them two of my favorite in my collection but i think i am going to give the edge to walking dead.

I owned a TWD LE, but sold it and now own a Met Pro. In my experience Met is more fun and I enjoy it much more. However, I accept TWD is probably the better game - I just found it far more frustrating and really don’t like the theme. I would like another TWD (Pro this time) but would not sell Met to fund it.

So MET is less punishing and has longer ball times? What about getting to the wizard modes?

One thing holding me back is that I really am not a fan of the photoshop artwork on the pf of TWD. Kind of thinking they might do a vault one day and bring it back with something better.

metallica still gets my- vote

in my opinion, and at my skill level (the lower end!), i would agree.

I find myself reaching Crank it Up modes more regularly than i reached Horde on TWD, but that was on 1.56 code. I never reached Siege or Last Man Standing.

As there are 4 Crank it Up's to choose from it feels like i'm able to see more. I've gotten 2 CiU's in 1 game deep so far, but i doubt i'd have the skill to reach End of the Line.

I have never been a Zombie theme fan, never watched the recent TV series (see previous comment!) and i agree the TWD playfield artwork is a bit naff too. I also found the TWD LE's crossbow to be a bit pointless and slow the game up quite a bit, plus the bicycle girl ramp, thus my future preference for a Pro. I will definitely miss the LE's brilliant blood-red lightshow though; especially during Horde - fantastic game integration. Nothing a TimeBandit mod couldn't fix though

I would say MET Pro is better than TWD Pro, but TWD Premium is better than MET Premium or Pro. TWD is harder than MET. Really, both are great games at the top of the Stern heap and it just comes down to personal preference.

Personal preference, having owned both MET pro and TWD pro... both are very fun games but I prefer TWD. For me it's a better theme and more variety where MET began to feel a bit wood choppy.

Both are stellar. But there's something about the shot geometry and code with TWD that makes it the narrow victor in this race.

Chopping wood vs best code ever

Just got a TWD. Had a MET and would own one again. But if I had to choose it would be TWD for sue.

Metallica was one of my favourite games and now it's a bit of a drag to play because of this. Still having fun with the Walking Dead, but have only owned it for a year now.

I’ve had both for over two years now. I’d go with TWD if I had to choose one over the other. It remains the favorite in my collection but I am a sucker for zombies. I recently put ColorDMD’s in both of them. Both are fun to play.

MET hands down. I don't get the chopping wood thing when MET. The shot layout is so fun.

Permanent bash toys right in the front of flippers is not my thing. That being said I wish I liked TWD more as i know the code is great and I'm trying to understand what I'm missing.

The only answer now is both. Anyone who says one is much better than the other simply doesn't understand the other game. Can you like one over the other by a significant margin? Of course. But they are both great games.

And what do they have in common? John Borg and Lyman F'ing Sheats. There is magic in that combination. It may not be there at first... in fact for both games they started a bit bad. But Lyman can grind out a game and turn it into magic. And in both of these cases, he did.

These two games are very very close

Today the answer for me is MET but ask again tomorrow and the answer is ......

I rarely hit well walker. It’s all about those drops

2 very good games, with nice code (tanx to Lyman), MET is more an "enjoy to play on the voley" game, TWD needs (a lot of) control

if you're not a good player, MET is easier, as TWD will kick your a** 9 games out of 10 (in fact, much more than that !)

But isn't that such a waste though? That damn thing takes up so much space and cuts the pf up so much.

No it’s good for starting multiball and stacking. It also looks cool as hell its just not my go to strategy.

I did the exact opposite. Had Metallica pro, sold it and now own TWD LE.
Both are great. If space and money weren’t issues, I would have both

Amen

I keep hearing that TWD pro isn't as good as premium/LE, but MET pro and premium/LE are comparable.

Thoughts?

TWD Premium has a LOT of extra features over the Pro.
That said, I've owned an LE, Premium, and Pro model.
I've sold them all, and decided recently to buy a Pro once again.

I prefer the play of the Pro model. Specifically, the left ramp is 1 piece, instead of having the lifting bicycle girl piece on the Premium/LE.
I've played a few Premiums that were dialed in really nicely, but none flow quite as well as the Pro, in my opinion.

On the other hand, the Premium and LE models have the walker bomb button (among other things) which can be a game saver under the right circumstances.

I truly think that if you had either one and never knew about the other, you could swear it's the perfect game in either case.

Metallica is the first Stern I have had over a year and have zero plans on trading/selling.
Top 5 Stern to me...so good they nearly completely copied the playfield (GOTG).
Met Premium unnecessary to me (I hate the view obstruction from that damn Coffin bash toy).

TWD was my first (and last) "pre release" NIB buy - lasted 2 months and was traded for a CSI (and cash) with zero regrets.
Premium is better - has tons more...but the PRO is only OK.

I recently traded TWD pro for a heavily modified MET pro. TWD was in our lineup for approximately a year & it's a fantastic & very challenging machine. TWD tends to intimidate the newbies from playing because it's can be so difficult. MET on the other hand is a alternative to TWD in terms of layout & rules. One needs to chop away at the insert numbers quota to get this beast to shine. The CIU modes actually feel like single ball mini wizard modes, because of the risk/reward feature. Both are great titles in their own right, but the edge vote goes to MET. MET is ranked sixth in the Pinside Top 100 for a reason & is clearly an overall fan favorite for many reasons.

Played a MET pro and TWD Premium tonight and now I was thinking both haha!

Had twd p and met pro .... met is stll here after 2.5 years ... twdp lasted about a year. Both are great games but twd is almost to difficult and only saw horde a few times..... of course ive never seen and probably never will c end of the line on met . But i love the ciu mods and the risk vs reward .

TWD if you fancy your self a above average or good player. The games so brutal that no one else will really be able to enjoy the Pin. MET will be enjoyed by pretty much anyone who comes over.

I prefer both Met pro and TWD pro compared to the premium.

L ramp on TWD pro is nicer than the moving ramp.

I don't care much for the hammer lock on Met premium.

So I played a few games on MET last night, and I got to CIU. I'm guessing I am nowhere at all near EOTL?

Can anyone offer a simple rundown of what you need to do to get to EOTL?

With TWD, I had no idea what I was doing, so I basically just shot for mutliballs. Had a few of them going, and found it pretty fun to shoot.

Definitely both are examples of Stern's best.

Maybe I'll hold out and see if they vault TWD.

On MET the key to acquiring a CIU mode is to collect x (12 or so) amount of cross, chair, grave & snake. When you hit your quota for each, then the insert icon will light for that item. You may do this by either bashing these objects or you can gain the needed # by hitting your ramps/orbits or cross. If your inserts for cross & snake or lit on your right ramp, then you will receive credit for 1 cross & 1 snake for that particular ramp. If all three (chair, snake & cross) icons are flashing, hit that ramp/orbit/cross for a hurry-up. Bash grave to receive x amount of points, then those inserts stay lit throughout the game. You need to bash grave to obtain your quota, but in multiball you may bash grave & receive your objective quickly. When you are eligible for a CIU mode, hit the mystery scoop & then pick your mode. When in a CIU mode, bash cross, chair, snake & grave once, then you'll be able to collect all the points acquired for that mode. So far I've made it to EOTL three x's by simply exiting every CIU mode ASAP.
For TWD, there are many different approaches to the rules. Normally, I would complete the 3 drop targets twice to light a mode. Then I would concentrate on racking up points on that mode to enhance score & lit the weapons insert(s). When completing your drop targets, the insert lights rotate & it's important to time that feature depending on what you need in progression to Blood Bath. If you already have first aid lit, then you really do not want to hit that feature again. Try to time your shot lock for either weapon or food for further progression towards Blood Bath. To make it to Horde, you need to do well in mode completions & multiball. For example, in Blood Bath, keep picking off the drop targets for add-a-ball & big points. Also, do well in your modes to light your weapon inserts. Horde is absolutely one of the greatest sub-wizards of all time! Good Luck!!!

How right you were!

So how many times do you have to do CIU in order to get to EOTL?

There are four CIU modes that need to be played (not completed) to make the EOTL wizard. When you begin each mode, you'll receive a 20-30 second ball save & that's the best time to bash your targets ~ cross, grave, snake & chair. If you're feeling on w/ your game, go ahead & complete the mode. There are some lucrative points & the dot matrix graphics are fantastic. When you complete a CIU, you'll receive 15 million & you'll be able to exit via the mystery hole. When you begin EOTL, all six major shot arrows are flashing > r/l orbits, r/l ramps, cross & fuel. You begin w/ 2 balls & have 1 minute (I believe) to complete all six shots, or EOTL will time out > (10,9,8,etc.) If you complete all six shots within that time frame, you'll receive an add-a-ball. I've made EOTL three x's & here is my score from just last night.

002 (resized).JPG

001 (resized).JPG

Amazing score man!
Can I ask where you bought the snake mod the 3D version? Can’t seem to find it anywhere!

Both are great pins that i love playing but i think TWD just edges out MET for me.

When we received MET, the machine was already heavily modified. I'm not exactly sure where to acquire the 3-D snake mode, but I do know there was someone on Pinside that had one for sale not too long ago. Possibly try to Google MET pinball 3-D snake & see what you find?