No!!!...

And then I voted.

I would get TWD Pro. It’s a fun, unique layout with great code. It’s enjoyable with friends because of the shorter ball times and it has that one more game draw that TSPP can lack because of longer ball times.

Iron Maiden and MET are both awesome games, but MET ball times can be on the longer side. IMDN is a killer pin, but the music isn’t for everyone and the game lacks toys.

If you didn’t mention toys I would lean towards IMDN.

In a single pin collection you want a game that is going to be fun for friends as well, the more straight forward and approachable the game is the better. Metallica is straight forward and approachable but also deep. I’d go with Metallica.

Totally agree with TigerLaw you want a pin that is accessible but you might want to consider something that offers enough depth that keeps you interested and coming back for more.

TWD is one of Sterns best but it is not all that accessible to casual players.

IMDN is super fun, I haven’t played it in a home environment so no idea of its real depth/longevity. I would put it in the same bracket as TRON & IM, rulesets are more simple than TWD & SW but they are two of Sterns best games, super fast that gets the adrenaline pumping.

AS is fun but a one trick pony imo, you can see a lot of what it has to offer and it gets boring pretty quickly.

ST is a great game, with the VE coming and Stern announcing they have been working on a bug fix it’s only going to get better, like others have said it’s super accessible for casuals but there’s a tonne of strategy for more advanced players. Oh and it has the WARP ramp which is one of the best shots in pinball!

Sorry, but the Iron Maiden pin is really the most fun pinball i have played in a while. So refreshing in shots, flow and speed. Its also with such a deep ruleset, great for both score players and mode players alike. Mine will never leave my house....

Keep the TSPP, and add SWPrem....That's how I'm rolling, and loving it.

Star Wars is the most played pin out of all of the pins (8), that I've ever owned. Guests love it; it's super deep, and fun as hell.

I would highly recommend that you get an LCD game, once you get one, it's hard to turn back.

Did stern confirm this? Code update? That would be awesome

It depends on your skill level, and that of your guests
IMHO FWIW of those machines listed in the poll, in the order I'd recommend

SW
A fast, and sometimes brutal, game.

GB
A drain monster likely to frustrate lesser players, but with new code coming who knows what it'll be like.

GoT
Some of the call outs are fun, and if you have watched the series it ties in well. Despite all of the houses better players will stick to Greyjoy or Martell, I've come to find it a bit boring having only had it for 3 months.

ST
Easy to understand - hit the flashing shots, but all of the modes are similar.

AS
Toybox is a clever toy. Very different shot layout to any of the other machines you've listed and is getting new code

Met
Great game, with excellent callouts and lightshow. Lesser players have 4 easily understandable MBs to go for, better players have the CIU modes to go for.

TWD
Fantastic game, easy bash toy for lesser players to get MBs, deep enough to survive in a single pin collection for a great player.

GotG
Same layout as Met, brilliant soundtrack and video clips. Great bash toy with Groot. By far the most polished code Stern have released recently. Easy for lesser players, deep enough for better players. Great game all round.

So GotG would be my choice

Yeah Delt it was stated in this months Stern of Union announcement that it’s been done and will be released this summer with the AS, GB and Kiss updates.

Concidering your criteria I voted for GOTG, same layout as MET but less grinding (and frustration) to get somewhere. Groot multiball is very achievable as is orb multiball. If you pick Quills Quest you can even start with a multiball. Game got a bad rap at release (including from myself) but it has come a long way and became very fun.

If you’re concerned with entertaining friends and family, then theme is everything. I’ve had arcade games and pinball machines come and go in my game room over the last couple years. No matter what other games I have in there, Star Wars (Stern) and the old Star Wars (Atari) vector game get the most play whenever we have company over. Kids, adults, everyone and their momma are into that theme, I guess.

I don't think it is possible to have just one game that does it all with gameplay, theme, and total audience appeal. There is a huge difference in novice players that just flip the ball around and experienced players that learn rules and like a challenge. Brutal games like TWD, GB, and SW can be fun in a bigger collection but don't think they work well solo. The best balanced game with theme, gameplay, and skill level is MET imo. It's pretty easy to learn basic rules and easy to get to mb (bash Sparky). It's also fairly easy for average player to get to a CUI mode and feel like you accomplished something. Plenty of deeper code and strategy for experienced players. Only issue is theme is not for everyone and not exactly family friendly. It also can seem like a grind to bash everything a bunch but once you learn the rules it makes the game a lot more enjoyable.

I posted earlier, but will add...

If you’re an expert player that likes brutality and cheap shit drains and don’t care about theme, art, or appealing to others:
TWD PRO

If you’re a good player:
SW PRO or IMDN PRO

If you’re a not so good player but love breadth and strategy:
IMDN PRO or GOT PRO

If you’re just a piss poor player:
IMDN PRO or MET PRO

Keep in mind; GOT is not an attractive pin for family or guests. It’s a pin for solo players who like flow and a thinkers mindset. SW is similar, but much more appealing because of its theme.

IMDN fits the total package. Rules, code, art, sounds, call outs, and difficulty ranges from novice to expert.

The one game that ticks all those boxes providing you enjoy the theme of course is BM66, gameplay is great shotwise once dialled in especially the left orbit and left ramp.

Code is accessible for beginners and casual players as it’s easy to start a couple of multiballs (joker & penguin) but the rules are super deep and complex with some unique touches that are player controlled (channel changing) and everyone who see its and plays it loves it, kids all the way up to grandparents, the only negative it has going against it is the premium price tag.

Why does it HAVE to be a NIB? It's a lot of money for one game. I'd rather get a wall of early solid states myself. All the code in the world, it is still just one game. I appreciate that pinball is a hobby that has quite a bit of diversity and "levels" of enjoyment. I used to think the best and brightest was the only way, but slowly, over many years, I realized I just prefer the gameplay design and art from the early SS era. This hobby is awesome when you think some people collect and restore pins from the 50's and 60's or buy NIB from 2018 and stuff from before or inbetween as well. I guess what I'm saying, is that this hobby is really extensive, don't pigeonhole yourself. Experiment!

Because he wants it to be a NIB...let's not change the parameters of his question.

True but there is no BM66 pro. Only premium and expensive premium at that. Doesn't sound like an option for the OP. Not an option for me either. Only played it a few times and liked it but just way too expensive. Best single game for all at premium level is DI.

Are there still a lot of TWDs NIB? I called around and I got either that it was out of stock or a price bumped up over 6K.

True which is why I ended my post with the only negative is the price tag. Although here in the U.K it is the same price as every other current Premium/LE.

One pin isn't a collection. It's owning one pin. Words mean things.

Also, Metallica or Iron Maiden.

DI LE is really fantastic but super expensive at $9k is nearly what I paid for Tron proband IM VE several years ago (two pins). But damn it’s almost worth it.

Saying Metallica is not family friendly is just not right. My kids love sparky and the DMD graphics are nothing crude (like TWD). It is a funny game and with adult mode turned off they hear nothing worse than they would here on regular TV. The snake is awesome, sparky is great and the graphics on the playfield and cabinet/backglass are super fun and appealing to the entire Family.

TWD is an awesome game and would stand on its own being the only machine.

The numbers of the top 3 are the exact 3 I would recommend, either Iron Maiden, Metallica, or Star Trek. Some smart people on this thread!

Besides sparky being killed literally in front of them with his eye balls popping out of his head, I would agree. Haha

Jack f-ing pot? Frying a dude in a chair? I can think of a whole bunch of other pins that are a lot more family friendly. To each their own, though.

I take it you have not watched bugs bunny or Road runner cartoons??? Seriously? It’s cartoons dude... but “literally being killed”. Haha. That’s just nonsense. And there are no swear words in the non adult code setting.

I don't think you understand the meaning of the word 'literally'

MET, TWD, ST are all great choices, Maiden too.

Concerning family friendly question on Met, my young grandkids ( 8 and under) are petrified of Hobbit and Lotr. Won't go near them however they play and love Met. Go figure.

I have Met, Indy 500, SM and IM on one side of the basement and TH and Lotr on the other.