How about AFM? Seems to fit what you are describing. Easy to learn rules but hard to master gameplay, superb jackpot callouts, wonderful light show, ability to stack Martian Multiball with other multiballs, and lots of combo shots including the 5-way combo you need to complete as one of the objectives in order to reach the wizard mode.

well you've already got a WOZ, you're not gonna get better mode stacking, deeper rules, or a greater light show than that.

maybe Whitewater? great layout and ramps, great jackpot shot, and some good stacking opportunities there with the 5x playfield multiplier. i haven't seen a blinged out one in person but i bet with GI OCD and some high quality LEDs, it'd really shine.

IM is a great pin. It's rules are kind of short but it packs a lot of action. One of the better pins. I can recommend any of these pins without hesitation. I'd list in order of rules/complexity and the latter two have better dots and probably more to do rules wise.

IM
Tron
TWD pro
Met pro

I didn't read requirements fully, IM is probably less deep than most games. Bot great to replay nonetheless.

I think Tron may be a bit more nuanced for stacking and combo shots.

Spiderman is really simple yet has more modes yet, great rules and callouts.

The Simpsons pinball party

How about Monster Bash? One of the best games ever and you can stack the modes. Another Lyman masterpiece.

MB is a great game with stacking but in terms of challenge... BSD on one side of the scale and MB on the other. It is a super fun game but don't expect the challenge you get from BSD.

I would vote TWDpro as someone else has mentioned.

TS has deep rules that are easy to follow, super challenging wizard mode, tight skillful shots, awesome callouts, nice light show once LED'd.

IMO

Tspp and LotR are two if the best coded games ever, Tspp is more odd layout with lots of ramps and flippers and the rules are all over the play field.

LotR is two flippers but has 3 ramps and magnet and moving bash toy so it has a lot of things going on, it's rules are not hard to understand and has great callouts for jackpots and you can start a lot off MB at the same time.

If you thought ST shot well maybe you'd like SM or AcDc which may be less linear. AcDc is fun but the rules are not easy to decipher.

I still put Tron above SM but both are great.

I like SM the way it's laid out because each area of the PF is a mode (4 Villains) and you have 4-5 other modes that are started by the orbits (after you qualify them).

I love IM, but the sounds, callouts, art and light shows are pretty weak. It's a fun pin to stack modes and a brutal game. Easy to learn, difficult to really master and it can put a lot of pressure on you.

IM is more fun to me, ST has more rules so you can play various ways. In a small collection ST may be better.

I had a party, all guys have great collections and IM was the most played of my pins.

I would take either one, they're about equal to me.

It doesn't get better with age and owning it, in my experience. Trust your instinct and skip it if that was your impression. I sold mine because I found it very repetitive.

Star Trek LE & Iron Man VE owner here.

If I had to rate them, I'd say Star Trek Premium > Iron Man VE > Star Trek Pro.

These 2 games will probably never leave my collection.

You can't stack multi balls on top of one another for Star Trek. On Iron Man, you can Stack Whiplash on top of War Machine.

I agree with Trekkie.

ST isn't a stacking game. It has a couple minor stacks, but it's pretty linear in that aspect. It also suffers in game progression and breadth. But collecting medals and going for a double scoring Kobayashi Maru helps with that and is very fun. What ST thrives on the most is its immersiveness and selecting different tier missions to tackle. It has some very cool and fun jackpot call outs. Warp ramp never gets old and is super fun.

IM is very fun. But it's shallowness gets repetitive in a small lineup. Not much diversity. It's just a cool game For a quickie. It's the type of game you can leave untouched for a few weeks then come back to and play for a few days and have fun.

ST PREM > pro for light show, lasers, and flow.

Star Trek premium over pro:

Real kickback, ship crashes, every light is multi color, lit Enterprise, metal habit trails, movable scoop, red powered coated armor, better cabinet art, multiball laser, ship crashes, service rails, chased lights in warp ramp, asteroids cover flashers, color changing lights on the apron.

IMO, Star Trek premium, was the last premium model that was equivalent to an LE.

Star Trek is the deeper game with 18 missions.

Of the 5 modes on Iron Man, only 3 need to be completed in order to count as finished.

game_STARTREK-premium (resized).png

I have and love BSD. I also have and love IM. I had ST and its gone.

IM is a little similar to BSD is that it's all about the Multiball stacks. However there's a bit more nuance. For instance you can stack all 3 MBs in any order at any time on BSD. On IM, if you start Monger first, you can't start the other 2. Same with Whiplash. However if you start War Machine first you can stack Whiplash. If you raise Monger, Whiplash shuts off - but you can start War Machine and then stack Monger with it.

There's also the Iron Man scoring modes which you can start then stack with a Multi, but you can't start them in a multi.

On top of that, you've got the Suits to collect and the challenge of lighting all modes within one ball to get the do or die shot. Or is it Jericho? I forgot lol. Anyway - lots of little bits of nuance and challenge and it's definitely addictive and has kept me coming back for years.

How is the flow any different, aren't they the same except for a virtual kick back?

Suits get you Jericho and modes get you Do or Die shot.

I completely agree with rarehero in how addicting Iron Man is. One of my cousins was over a few weeks ago to try out my machines. He hops on Iron Man, next thing you know, he's on it for over 2 hours.

It's also missing the left vertical upkick.

Oh, also want to add how clever some of the voice clip use is on IM. I love how an outlane drain during a Monger fight sometimes gets you "Your service is no longer required" with a synced flasher fx. If you drain a Monger multiball without hitting anything, you get a sarcastic Jeff Bridges "well that....that went well".

To answer your question without pushing my favorite game off on you: Iron Man!

Unless you're a good player, it's more than deep enough to kick your ass over and over. If you ever complete Do or Die multiball, you'll be in the company of the greats of Pinball. It's immersive, with outstanding sound (get a Polk subwoofer to go with it). Also, you can stack two different multiballs, not just one. Obviously, start War Machine and bring in Whiplash. The second is a lot harder, but I accidentally did it last time I played my IM. You get War Machine ready and bring up Monger. Then, just before starting Monger multiball, slide a shot just to the left into War Machine and get ready for action. The next shot or two of War Machine multiball will inevitably start Monger multiball. It's very satisfying to do this, but extremely difficult. Rare to get extra balls on IM, as you can't earn one. You can adjust replay settings though and do it that way.

You can approach the game and modes any way you want and in any order, rather than feel like you have to play through a funnel. I generally flail on my first ball, aiming for the ramps and hoping to get lots of drones, IM standups, ramps, and Whiplash shots, but not enough to start anything. Then, second ball, I try to start them all to sneak into a very rare Do or Die wizard.

Oh yeah, set Monger to difficult so that he'll only come up from a straight up the middle shot once ready. Otherwise he's in your face too much.

IM isn't very deep, but it's deep enough for me, in fact, that rare magical single ball can get you to a wizard. More often though, you'll have to hit the start button a bunch.

Good luck with your decision!

It's possible with pinball browser. You just have to find the sound bytes. That said, IM is a great game. The biggest negative is its repetitive. It's like a fun mini game. Not too many strategies and not much diverse things to do, but what there is to do is fun. I owned it twice but it didn't last longer than a month both times cause it got boring doing the same thing. Like I said earlier, it's a great game to sit unplayed while you play your other pins and revisit from time to time.

Despite its lack of breadth in rules, my pick would be ST in your 'near small' lineup as it has more variety, strategy, and such a cool immersive sound package.

Can't go wrong with either. I have both and they compliment each other well.

Don't forget ball times. Iron man WILL be a faster game compared to ST

Also, there are alternate codes for IM by Pinsiders that add in some AC/DC.

That's what I said small lineup ST has more rules and ways to play but a big lineup like I have (10 pins) IM is awesome and the callous are fine imo great movie quotes and custom call outs by Jarvis.

I always love when Monger says "Where do you think you're going?" And Whiplash has some great sound bites.

Still think Tron is a great (just saying)

IMG_2675 (resized).png

My line up is Williams IJ,TOTAN and GOT premium.
For light show,deep rule set,fun and replayability no game comes close to GOT.I have no idea why this game isn't at the top of anyones list.We have had it for a year and a half and still love playing it
If choosing between IM or ST I would definitely go with ST but should give GOT premium a try before you choose