Playing along with the thought experiment, I think Stern has really spoiled us with the instant success that licensed themes bring. So I think Williams would bring more licensed themes and would become the underdog to Stern as the overdog. I think the days of original themes died with the original Williams, never to come back but as exceptions.

There is no doubt that licenced themes outsell unlicenced 10 or probably even more than this!

With that said, a well thought through theme (unlicenced) that looks and plays well AND has some unique features certainly has a place if priced correctly IMO.

I think that's because the memory and processors grew enough for real software to be written for modern machines. But they still have obvious goals similar to the older Williams games with basic goals.

It's easy to walk up to say ghost busters and have a good idea what to do. You shoot the big flashing lights and soon a ghost comes down all lit up. Shoot the lit ghost and the white inserts are all lit. Shoot one and a mode starts.

I'd nut.

edit: I definitely don't think Stern is anywhere as good as the best B/W pins were at creating a narrative throughline. There's no plot to Ghostbusters, GOT feels like a kludged together assemblage of vague references to the show, the modes in KISS seem almost meaningless, etc, etc.

Hugo Boss would have had a second S added to his outfit.