Really liking the love Star Trek is getting although it doesn’t have the LCD. I thought that was going to disqualify it in some peoples’ minds. It was probably the most loaded Pro since X-men when it launched and the display is secondary to me.

Best Pros: Definition meaning smallest difference in gameplay from premium/LE?

Star Trek (essentially no play difference)
Deadpool (1 diverter different)
Star Wars (no hyperloop, but Death Star shot much better)
Jurassic Park (No raptor gate/T-Rex is static).

WWE

Surprised not to see TRON pro said yet. It’s great.

Munsters pro

It’s fantastic but I assumed he asked about Pros as he has a pro budget. Tron pro is premium money.

Well since you already own Iron Maiden (people really should look at collections before answering) easily the best pro “priced” games are:

Star Trek Pro

Ironman

Based on your avatar alone and what you can pick one up for on the HUO market
Spider-Man would be one of the best games you can pick up, amazing rules, one of Ritchie’s best layouts and it’s packed!!

Tron Pro (if you can get one on a pro budget)

Metallica is a fantastic pro but I prefer the cool mechs on the Prem and that left to right orbit diverter on Deadpool is a game changer, Deadpool is Premium all the way with that.

ah, haven't looked up prices in a while.

I gotta go

IMVE. (I like the package better then the original. One can spend a lot of money on mods tho to get to prom level price point .

Met pro. All the Lyman rules without the "hammer".

I gotta differ with some.

To me TWD, SW and GOT are better in the upgraded forms. Granted the speed is better in the pro's.

Met Pro is great and I agree with any of the CGC remakes - great games at decent cost at least for AFMr and MBr - MMr is at a premium for even the base model

Metallica Pro is great.

Deadpool is a great choice. The pro is awesome. I did sell mine with the intent to upgrade to the premium at some point. The left looping shot is pretty awesome, and the other upgrades add a decent amount when all added together. However, if you never play the premium, or are able to forget it exists, the pro is amazing in its own right, and does not feel like it is missing anything.

In all honesty, most games are just fine as pros, and in some cases are better. My highest recommendation right now is probably Jurassic Park as it just hits all the marks for me. To me, the pro is just fine. While the moving T-Rex is a great gimmick, I am just as happy (if not happier) with the Papo T-Rex I modded in place of my static head. With the lighting and flashers going, it's badass. The upgrade value just isn't there for me. That said, if money wasn't an object at all, I'd love that LE for the sweet art and backglass. It's an awesome package. But really...the pro is just as good of a game.

Both Star Trek and Metallica are solid pros. I really enjoy Star Trek.

love my TWD pro

I find that if I play the pro first and like it I am better off never playing the Premium. I also find that if I play the Premium first I usually dislike the pro, the lack of the spinner on Metallica and the lack of the motorized ramp on Maiden were things I could not do without. DP Pro will be the next pin in my collection and I have never played the premium. Ignorance can be bliss.

Maybe it's just me, but I actually prefer the gameplay on the pro to the premium on Deadpool. There was an LE at the company office last year and a Pro at the local barcade. The pro was faster because it lost the drop targets which really slowed things down. I thought the art was better to. Honestly, if you just got the pro, and dropped $50 on action figures online to spruce up the playfield like a 5 year old I think you'd be Golden on the Deadpool one.

Is the pro version of Black Knight SOR really better than the premium?

I like it better. The premium plays too long for my tastes.

Yes. Too many shots lead to the upper playfield, and a good player is going to keep it up there a long time (especially a problem in tournaments). Upper pf is fairly lame...really having only an ill flowing loop, stand up target, and an admittedly cool locking mech. The real unfortunate part is you can make progress on the battles up there by just hitting the target, and that sucks all of the uniqueness out of the modes.

I once owned a ST LE and now jonesing for another shot at killing those Klingon animals! I would definitely settle for a Pro.

Can’t go wrong with Star Trek but the light show on the Premium is awesome and those LED side rails on the LE are insane, wont ever sell my LE unless I reach 5YM wizard mode. So I’ll likely have it until the day I die

aerosmith pro and indiana jones stern

Agreed, forgot about the light show !

I agree that the BKSOR prem/le has fallen victim to monotonous tournament strategies, but many of us aren't tournament players and I can't see playing it that way at home. The pro is a fun game but is missing a lot (Catapult multi-ball, the ability to build up mode values on the upper playfield, the option to progress through modes on the upper playfield, additional skill shots). I think the pro is a fun game and probably the better tournament choice, but I almost see the pro and prem/LE as completely different games. I would say the same about GoT with the current code that makes the upper playfield much more important than it was initially. Games like GotG, Met, TWD, ST, Maiden, JP the pro plays much more similar to the prem/LE.

Exactly. Iron man for #4

I really enjoy my Met Pro and GOT Pro. I've had them for almost 3 years and still love them. BKSOR pro is a lot of fun as well as Aerosmith pro. I never owned them so I don't know if they get old in a home setting.

For me its a toss up between Maiden or JP. I've played a lot more on Maiden but the limited time I had on JP was an absolute blast.

I can't argue there. They are definitely different games, just like GoT as you said. I am jealous of Catapult...that is definitely missed on the pro. I really wish Tim would add it to the pro and just remap the lock shot to the left upkicker or something. Even if it was every 3 shots = a lock. There is a lot of other things you could do to simulate it otherwise if he chose to. Maybe light the catapult "lock" with the drops or right orbit, then lock at the left upkicker? That would give more reason to use the left flipper and shoot at the right side of the playfield for sure. I'm just dreaming here, as I would really love that mode to be added to the pro for that one extra thing to do that it is sorely missing. Yes, GoT is missing Castle Multiball, but that feels different as there is SO MUCH else to do in that game, you kind of don't even notice. BK is nowhere near as deep (nor does it need to be...they are very different games), so not having that extra multiball goal is a bummer.

Building mode value is possible on the pro...by bashing the flail before starting the mode. Very risky. And the mode progression on the upper is the thing I dislike most I think. On the pro every mode is unique and has its own feel. On the prem/LE you can just keep hitting that one shot, sucking the life out of the monster battles.

I sound way more harsh on the prem/LE than I mean to. Much like GoT, I prefer the pro, but the prem/LE is still a very cool game. I'm glad both have the option, but if the upper pf versions were all that existed, I would still be a happy owner of both!

My opinion is that Metallica and Star Trek are the two best pro machines. I'm not a huge Star Trek fan but the pinball machine is great. However; I think Deadpool is close behind. I actually posted my Metallica last month to see if anyone would be interested in a trade for a Deadpool. I like them both about the same.

I have a JP pro and have played the premium about 75 times on location. I couldn't justify the extra money for the moving T-Rex. It's super awesome but I couldn't justify the cost since they shoot the same.

The other pro models I like are Munsters, Iron Maiden, and GOG.

I agree with these as well as: Maiden, JP, TWD, Metallica, SW, Tron and Iron Man.

Munsters pro

Surprised of all the Star Trek love. Lasers, Lightshow, Double scoring apron, vuk flow, kickback, etc... I just couldn’t go pro in a home environment on this one. On location, sure.

I’d love to own an LE. The artwork is just perfect. The side rails are awesome. I just love the sides of the backbox. I can’t name a single bad thing about the game. I’ve always regretted not buying one when they were cheap back before they fixed the software.

However, I own a Pro. And I’ve been very happy with it in my house. Of course I’d prefer a real kickback. And of course I’d rather have that art and side rails and stuff. But the game is still a blast as a Pro. Hell, the only reason I own it is because of you explaining the depth of the game to me a couple years ago. Would I like an LE? Yeah, but I’m not switching now. I’m quite happy with my Pro (with a few upgrades of course).

I miss me some Star Trek that’s for sure! I want to get one back someday...and a GOT...and a SW...shit, F#%@ this hobby haha

Star Trek sound effects are first rate. Had an LE and sold it to buy BM66. Wish I hadn’t.

Metallica pro is the most loaded up pro. Best pro is up to what you like. Try to play them and it will help you decide.

It's gotta be between Met, Maiden and JP for #1.

Munsters Pro is certainly a great value buy these days.

Hmmm. I wonder why....

Would be interesting to see how TMNT and AIQ now factor into this discussion. FWIW, not having played AIQ, but owning TMNT (modded with 7 figures + a lit and moving Krang figure), I think TMNT is a dynamite Pro and think AIQ may be in the same boat. Bump for this topic which fizzled before these two very solid Pro's debuted.

Maiden and Ghostbusters for me, I prefer the pro over the premium for both of these machines as they tend towards greater flow in the pro models and I don’t feel you loose a ton with the other trade offs if at all.

Munsters

Looks like I’m going full snob on Star Trek. I have LE and it’s one of my all time favorite Sterns.

Pros that I’ve owned or thought were great compared to the LE.

Game of Thrones
Aerosmith
Guardians of the Galaxy
Deadpool
Mustang
Tron

Nothing snobby about STLE. I like the Pro but that was one of the Stern LE's that was 100% worth it. I sold it even though I'm a huge ST trek fan just not of the new films or really any of it after the 60's show and subsequent films, some STTNG. Anyway what we really need is a ST vault or preferably all new OG StarTrek pin.

The two metal monsters, MET and IRMD, are the best pros IMO. Still get most of the game just not the ballocks with the hammer or the sarcophagus.

I'd still vote for Met Pro along with JP and IMDN as really fun and satisfying games.

Just curious to hear other opinions of the opposite question....what is the WORST pro?

All highly subjective based on personal opinions, I know, however I'm curious if there are 1 or 2 obvious outliers where the general concensus is to avoid the Pro model.

All the elwin games are equally as good if not in some cases better as Pros