Update 26/9/11. After owning the game for 8 months, my feelings about the game are still a mixed bag:

First of all I love the design of this machine. The yellow crime scene tape is cleverly done and, apart from the unattractive stars of the show, the game looks pretty decent. Very shiny and bright and tempting to play. The layout is a welcome change from all the fan-based layouts we've been getting from Stern lately. Ahem. Having said that, I am really missing the flow of such a fan based layout. Any attempt at flow is quickly stopped by two annoying popup posts in the main loop. The popbumper action that follows these posts sometimes takes enough time to allow me to take a sip of my coffee, realise I forgot to put sugar in it, add some, stir well and take another sip then finding my ball still in the pops. In other words, they are a bit too greedy for my taste. Speaking of greedy, the outlanes (even at their smallest gap setting) are greedy as hell.

The sounds are mostly quick clippings from the show, and some of them still contain background sound (making me suspect CSI was quite a rush job). There aren't many quotes and the sound gets repetitive rather quickly. The quotes are funny in a "CSI funny" kind of way. The music is excellent tough, very chillout relaxed sort of thing I would expect from CSI. I'm actually happy they didn't put The Who in there. Oh and I love the track that plays when you start ballistics. Sound quality is top notch, as with all Stern games on SAM.

Anyways, to the most important aspect: the rules and gameplay? Well it's ... different. Refreshing? A bit slow maybe. I must say that most of my games are heavy on the flow and speed (big Steve Ritchie fan here) so it may be a good thing to have a game like CSI in the collection. But I must admit I was looking at that Pat Lawlor Design logo on the CSI backglass and pondering the days of the past: TAF, TZ, RS. Where are the modes? CSI has none.

CSI is based around 3 multiballs and the fun of stacking these. Oh, and then there are some frenzies and a mystery but that's it. A bad thing? Not directly, sometime simple is good. But it still makes me feel kind of unfortunate that they didn't include some modes, maybe only 4 or 5 as they did in Family Guy. The way I see it is that a game without modes should have flow. CSI has neither. So isn't the game challenging? Well here is a big plus: it is. The multiballs are pretty deep and completing them is no walk in the park. And as said, stacking multiballs is possible in CSI and very lucrative score-wise. And fun too! Really, the multiballs are all this game has, but at least they are good and challenging!

Software is a bit buggy (I'm on 2.4 at the moment of this post). I've had some problems with the lab kickout not detecting a ball that dropped out. A subsequent shot that does stay in the saucer get's kicked out without an award. That may be tested out or be fixed in an update. Another annoyance is that the centrifuge is very slow to realize when there is no ball in there, after it spins up. This leeds to an empty centrifuge spinning a lot of the time because a ball triggered the opto in front of it. The multiball starting with 2 balls is kind of fun if you think of it (challenge to add a ball) but they might have expained it on the score card because currently it almost seems like the 2-ball is a bug. I don't have high hopes of these bugs ever being fixed (or a wizard mode added for that matter). Stern are not really known for bringing out many updates after a game goes out of production.

And there you have it again. Stern makes another pin that sounds OK, looks OK, plays OK (a bit stop and go) and is generally... OK. Not good, not bad either. I'm not unhappy about buying this, but not thrilled either. I'm definitely gonna be playing this for some months and have fun stacking those multiballs, but this is not a keeper the way I see it now.

CSI is not like any other recent game that I know. It is different but a very satisfying game to play or own. All the shots are challenging and it is a bit of a drain monster so it is very satisfying when you get it right. I has 3 multi-balls, one of which is the ultimate challenge in my opinion. Game Tactics: CSI does a superb job of telling you what to shoot at but even so there are a few strategies that are worth bearing in mind. Stacking multiballs: This gives you both longer multiball times and bigger jackpots. It also by default gives an increased chance of starting frenzies etc. Skull and Centrifuge MB stack well, as do Centrifuge and Microscope but Skull and Microscope MB don't stack. This is because it isn't possible to continue collecting evidence during Skull MB. Light the “Evidence” at the microscope as soon as possible so that subsequent shots count towards Microscope multiball. Use the lane change to light the in lanes for the CSI bonus and shoot the saucer regularly when lit as there are some good awards there. I usually try and start Skull MB just before Centrifuge and try to stack them if I can. Big points can be achieved through stacking features, such as frenzies and Ballistics, with multiballs and then collecting as many goodies as possible.
It sounds simple but it isn't. Don't be too picky as this game is a drain monster if set up correctly, as the game says “Our victim isn't the only one who's taken a beating.” I'm really pleased to have found a modern game that isn't on rails and doesn't have long ball times. It's a tough game but my advice is to leave it set a hard game because when you get on a roll it is really exciting. The bottom line for me is that CSI challenges me to play better pinball, which is why I now own the game. Eddie Mole 2011-03-01

I'm not a CSI fan, so was not excited by the theme. After playing, it felt more like a collection of gimmicks than any real story. That said, I enjoyed those gimmicks much more than I thought I would. I really liked the skull multiball, magnet, etc. I find that many modern pins are coherent and cool looking...but the play is rather dull. CSI has staying power, and I really enjoyed focusing on one thing then another. It's just plain fun.

This one is starting to grow on me after having been one of the modern Sterns I originally hated. A unusual layout with a fairly crowded playfield. This one feels relaxed and laid back as you play it, with none of the usual urgency or rush of other modern Sterns. The centrifuge is a good toy, getting the table rocking about with a couple of balls spinning in it, just like a shaker motor.
A low scoring machine, with three multiballs, three pop bumpers and three sets of evidence to collect - the rule of three as the machine says. I have never seen the TV series so cannot comment on how this game relates to it.
I'm not too keen on the translite, the animations, or some of the sound effects as you play, but not a bad game to put a few coins in if I find one out in the wild. Not sure if I would want to own one though...

I'm not sure what you're supposed to be doing in this game, but there's not a clear concept or mission. Another example of having to love the show to like he pinball machine. The centrifuge is really cool though...

A fun machine that probably could use a bit more pop. The toys are great, but they lack a certain flash to them. I liked the shots to start and complete modes and the multiball lock was great! Not a bad game, by any means.

What a fast paced, difficult game with several great shots and modes. The bullet sounds are fantastic and I found the multiballs to be quite hard, but rewarding. The fingerprint frenzy shot was especially sweet. I've never seen this show, but i ignored that fact and just flat out enjoyed the theme. Excellent work from Stern.

Hoped for way more first walking to it. Looks really good. Then after a few plays I felt I don't want to be even close to this one. But I had time, so I played on for a while. I don't know why, it's just baaad. I agree, the bumpers are boring.

One of the greater Stern machines.

game looks good, but mini-flipper is less fun. the bumpers are overused. all in all, not so good as spidey or batman.

Just found a mint one in Belleville, Paris. Had about 7 games. Didn't manage to get the skull multiball so there is some challenge at collecting all the evidence. Not however a table to get the heart racing. The samples are quite downbeat as is the overall pace. Ball got stuck racking up points in the pop bumpers a little too often. Never seen the show so that can't help.So far "meh" but I'll stick with it and see. Hope 24 is better!