Ghostbusters (LE)
Stern, 2016
Ghostbusters (Premium)
Stern, 2016
Star Trek (LE)
Stern, 2013
Star Trek (Premium)
Stern, 2013Clearly prices have gone nuts across the board, but this is something that I simply can't wrap my head around. At this moment in time, you can pick up an STLE for substantially less than a similarly modded GB premium. This just doesn't make any sense to me. STLE is not only a better game, but it's a collector's edition with a smaller run. So what's with the sudden huge demand for GB premiums? Is there something I'm missing?
Have they, GB Premiums, actually sold for that? I believe that Stern will vault GB at some point with a flipper gap change possibly as well.
Quoted from November:Because of the movie.
I suppose it's possible, but most likely it involves people seeing them listed for stupid money and they just want to jump on that train.
Quoted from November:Because of the movie.
It already feels like the new movie is a distant memory. That's pop culture in 2021.
GB got made because it's a REALLY popular theme, and that's why it's super sought after now. Doesn't really matter that's it not a great game - more proof that license is everything these days.
Why is it "worth more" than Star Trek? No Star Trek game has ever really been super hot, as popular as it is its still a bit of a "niche" theme. nothing like Ghostbusters.
Quoted from CrazyLevi:It already feels like the new movie is a distant memory.
It was delayed several times due to covid, but it's playing in theaters right now. It hasn't even hit streaming services or bluray discs yet.
Quoted from gweempose:Is there something I'm missing?
Wasn't there a recent code update that improved things?
Quoted from ForceFlow:It was delayed several times due to covid, but it's playing in theaters right now. It hasn't even hit streaming services or bluray discs yet.
I just mean it's not exactly at the forefront of the national pop consciounsess any more. I doubt it's spurring a lot of people to buy GB pinball machines.
It's an evergreen 80s license.
Quoted from ForceFlow:Wasn't there a recent code update that improved things?
There was a code update, but it wasn't recent. It came out over two years ago. It did make the game a lot better, in my opinion. Don't get me wrong, I happen to think that GB is a really fun game. I just don't think it's a better game overall than Star Trek, and the Pinside Top 100 agrees with me. I think CrazyLevi is probably correct. To a lot of collectors, theme trumps gameplay. GB does have great theme integration and an awesome sound and light show.
I remember when pro’s were selling for $4500 not long ago. Whenever I see a GB pin I want one then I play it and don’t want it anymore again.
Quoted from CrazyLevi:I just mean it's not exactly at the forefront of the national pop consciounsess any more. I doubt it's spurring a lot of people to buy GB pinball machines.
No, I suppose not.
Maybe it was pinflation + Halloween + new movie-- all overlapping around the same time?
Star trek hasn't had a new movie in a few years (2016 was the last one), and the (mediocre) TV show "Discovery" only started airing its last season a few weeks ago.
To me, STLE is probably the best overall LE package that Stern has ever offered. You get a true backglass, illuminated speaker lights, illuminated Starfleet emblems on the backbox, and the awesome phaser lights incorporated into the side rails. I can't think of another LE that offers more compelling upgrades over the premium.
Quoted from CaptainNeo:GB is a far superior game
I disagree. I've owned them both, and I think they are both great games, but GB is slightly worse. As I said before, the Pinside Top 100 has ST rated higher, so the empirical evidence would seem to suggest that a majority of Pinsiders agree with me.
I don't really miss my GBLE although I wish I would not have sold it...would have really rather sell it now for 2x what I sold it for before!
Quoted from gweempose:I disagree. I've owned them both, and I think they are both great games, but GB is slightly worse. As I said before, the Pinside Top 100 has ST rated higher, so the empirical evidence would seem to suggest that a majority of Pinsiders agree with me.
well for me regarding new sterns.
Iron maiden is the best game stern has ever made.
LOTR is a close second.
Ac/Dc 3rd
GB 4th
JP 5th
Godzilla is great, but shouldn't be rated until it has stood some time for longevity. No game should be able to be voted best ever until it's 1 to 2 years old.
It all comes down to theming. The last Star Trek pin was based off the "klevin-verse" alt time line. A lot of trekkies including myself don't care for those movies. I didn't buy that pin simply because of the theme. If it had been based off the prime star trek timeline, I would have bought it.
When the designer got caught with child porn I could not give my premium away and took a huge loss on it. Now the newbies flooding in and think its the greatest game ever. Funny how the tides have turned.
https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2017/08/29/john-trudeau-charged/
Quoted from planters49:It all comes down to theming. The last Star Trek pin was based off the "kelvin-verse" alt time line. A lot of trekkies including myself don't care for those movies. I didn't buy that pin simply because of the theme. If it had been based off the prime star trek timeline, I would have bought it.
That makes sense, but I also think CrazyLevi was correct when he stated that Star Trek games have never gotten the love they deserve because of the theme. I consider STTNG to be one of the best pinball machines of all time, and yet it has never commanded the kind of money that I thought it should compared to other games from the same era.
Theme 100%... GB is a pretty poor playing game with lots of stuff on it and great art so its for the more collectory side of the hobby.
I dont know anyone who is a good player that has one.
IMO its the worst game design of the last ten years and I had one in house for a month so its not like I didnt play it (cue the downvotes from price pumping owners)
Quoted from Elvishasleft:Theme 100%... GB is a pretty poor playing game with lots of stuff on it and great art so its for the more collectory side of the hobby.
I dont know anyone who is a good player that has one.
IMO its the worst game design of the last ten years and I had one in house for a month so its not like I didnt play it (cue the downvotes from price pumping owners)
I agree. It did not become a popular game until the last year which would lead me to believe it is the newbies driving it up
Quoted from woody76:I agree. It did not become a popular game until the last year which would lead me to believe it is the newbies driving it up
Its an awful design, I cant imagine anyone who plays well enjoys it but if all you want to do is slap the ball around and hear Ghostbusters quotes its fine.
The "code fix" was adding 100 ball saves so that tells you something. 
Quoted from Elvishasleft:The "code fix" was adding 100 ball saves so that tells you something.
Hah yes this was the tail end of a bunch of horrible designs where Stern just gave up and coded ball saves into the mix...KISS, Aero, GB...
Williams never had this problem. Why is it so hard to design a kickout that doesn't send the ball screaming down the middle?
Theme is an important difference, but to me what it comes down to is supply and demand. Seems like Stern rushed through this title to get to Spike games that have the bigger display. This game could have been epic if it had the larger display.
People complained about early code for years (Who brought the dog?) When they finally updated the code they didn't capitalize on it by running more games. Star Trek had multiple runs.
Another thing I'll throw out there is layout. To me Spider-man, Star Trek and Star Trek next generation are virtually the same layout. Ghostbusters is different for somebody who has one of those other games already.
Quoted from CrazyLevi:Williams never had this problem. Why is it so hard to design a kickout that doesn't send the ball screaming down the middle
In addition to Dr Who, WMS also had to add the big metal "outlane shield" to the left side of IJ, and when *that* didn't stop the left drains off the drops, it got a band-aid ballsave as well.
And although it never got a ballsave, MB was pretty deadly with its SDTM ejects once the scoop got a bit worn. Lots of pissed people on RGP trying to fix that crap back in the day.
Memories are so short...
Quoted from Butch2099:Ghostbusters is different for somebody who has one of those other games already.
Different but poorly executed. Some innovative ideas and amazing potential but a cheap drain-fest with mediocre rules.
All about theme, art and newbie money.
Couple LE’s sell for ridiculous money, other LE owners jump to list games, premium owners figure their games look like smoking deal at $5k less, other owners price pump…
theme (demand) and lack of availability (supply). Simple as that.
GB haters can hate all day - owners typically hold onto it b/c it's an amazing theme, it's loaded for a stern and it looks awesome (best zombie art to this day).
Bingo
Quoted from gweempose:Clearly prices have gone nuts across the board, but this is something that I simply can't wrap my head around. At this moment in time, you can pick up an STLE for substantially less than a similarly modded GB premium. This just doesn't make any sense to me. STLE is not only a better game, but it's a collector's edition with a smaller run. So what's with the sudden huge demand for GB premiums? Is there something I'm missing?
It's the theme. Rich newbs are all about the theme. Did you see what Back to the Future sold for at the Banning auction? They have turned the historical value drivers upside down. I could be wrong, but I feel like a lot of these newbs paying crazy money for not great pins have got to be dumb luck crypto insta-millionaires.
Quoted from gweempose:but I also think CrazyLevi was correct when he stated that Star Trek games have never gotten the love they deserve because of the theme
I still consider the problem with Star Trek to be the release software of the game. I went in with such high expectations, 18 missions, wizard modes, the whole lot of things Stern was saying about it. And then I played it, and it was warm puppy poop. I'd do 3 modes to light... nothing? But there was supposed to be something. It was a fine shooter, and was also when Stern was doing better lighting. But the game itself was just boring and poorly executed.
It really took too long for them to update it to a decent level. The games place in history was cast at that point. There wasn't much to distinguish modes, and it was a bit lame.
Once they did get it together, the game is amazing. I find it to be an absolute blast. They gave you multiple goals, and different ways to approach the game.
I run the motion picture soundtrack with some edits to make Vengeance good. It is just a fun game to play.
Quoted from IdahoRealtor:It's the theme. Rich newbs are all about the theme. Did you see what Back to the Future sold for at the Banning auction? They have turned the historical value drivers upside down. I could be wrong, but I feel like a lot of these newbs paying crazy money for not great pins have got to be dumb luck crypto insta-millionaires.
Exactly this. New big money collectors want the theme they love and don't care if the theme sucks. The crappy DE BTTF is another great example of this same thing.
They **both** sell for more than a Dialed In LE. Dialed In is a more limited run, more toys, a TV screen, and is a great shooter... so I'd add that as evidence to the category of, "Theme Really Matters"
I was like a moth to lamp for art and themes when i first got into collecting. It's a pretty natural response, all pinball seems fun when you're new.
Had a GBLE w/ topper and a ton of mods, HATED it and was stoked to get $7600 for it. I still don't regret selling it, it was worth the 13k loss to not have that POS in my basement the past few years!
Quoted from CaptainNeo:GB is a far superior game
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Owned both, GB is a LOADED game in terms of mechs. Trek is positively barren in comparison.
Quoted from GorillaBiscuits:I was like a moth to lamp for art and themes when i first got into collecting. It's a pretty natural response, all pinball seems fun when you're new.
Had a GBLE w/ topper and a ton of mods, HATED it and was stoked to get $7600 for it. I still don't regret selling it, it was worth the 13k loss to not have that POS in my basement the past few years!
I recall it being referred to as, pardon my French, "goat fuckers" when we had to play it for league. "god damn it! Not GF again!". But I will admit it got better with the code refresh. And it's not bad-looking.
Quoted from Elvishasleft:Its an awful design, I cant imagine anyone who plays well enjoys it.
At a local location we absolutely hate it and it plays like garbage, so we play the crap out of it to see who can actually get anywhere in the game.
Quoted from IdahoRealtor:I recall it being referred to as, pardon my French, "goat fuckers" when we had to play it for league. "god damn it! Not GF again!". But I will admit it got better with the code refresh. And it's not bad-looking.
Great license, loaded playfield, wonderful art. I did sell way before the new code. It's def. fun to drop a few quarters into, but if I'm gonna drop 13k on something like a GB premium... that's much better spent on a couple pros or a bunch of late 80's Gottlieb games (that's gonna be my next "thing" LOL).
Quoted from planters49:It all comes down to theming. The last Star Trek pin was based off the "klevin-verse" alt time line. A lot of trekkies including myself don't care for those movies. I didn't buy that pin simply because of the theme. If it had been based off the prime star trek timeline, I would have bought it.
I own Star Trek and am fine with the klevin-verse, but I feel you are right on here. If this was based on the original with Shatner doing call outs? Then I'd just be bummed that it wasn't in the LCD era.
Quoted from iloveplywood:I own Star Trek and am fine with the klevin-verse, but I feel you are right on here. If this was based on the original with Shatner doing call outs? Then I'd just be bummed that it wasn't in the LCD era.
Would be a great vault (with Shatner ST) if they re-themed it like SM vault (new art, new code ish and new dots).
Quoted from GorillaBiscuits:Great license, loaded playfield, wonderful art. I did sell way before the new code. It's def. fun to drop a few quarters into, but if I'm gonna drop 13k on something like a GB premium... that's much better spent on a couple pros or a bunch of late 80's Gottlieb games (that's gonna be my next "thing" LOL).
Same here. Sold my premium before the new code and Color DMD release for about half what they’re going for nowadays after playing a pro on route which was way more fun. “I’ll just grab a pro for 4800 in a year or two” was my thinking. Oh well. Don’t dislike the game but also don’t miss it. Star Trek is more fun IMO and the LEs are badass.
Star trek theme sucks is the problem. I own a GB pro and wouldn’t trade it in a million years for a STLE. Never! All because of the theme and annoying sounds. I don’t agree that GB premiums/LE should be selling for the amount they’re going for, but GB is a way better pin…. In my opinion of course. Many will say otherwise but the ST theme just sucks !
Same with Stern Kiss. Le's are being offered up for 15K. Do you remember when the game first came out and everyone was having a good laugh because 50 of the LE'S were signed by the band and sold at the Kiss store for 12K? I wonder what those are going for now.
https://bravewords.com/news/kiss-50-limited-edition-signed-pinball-machines-available
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