Star Trek: The Next Generation

Pinside rating

This game received 942 approved Pinsider ratings and currently rates 8.529 /10

8.529

Top 100 ranking

This game ranks #25 in the Pinside Pinball Top 100.



Score breakdown

Score breakdown in the 4 main categories:

Game Design: 8.63

Artwork: 8.158

Sounds/Music: 8.472

Other Aspects: 8.559


Pinside staff rating

This is how we, the very knowledgeable (wink wink) Pinside.com staff & moderators rate this game. 9 of us have rated this game.

8.621

Your Rating?

You need to be logged in before you can rate pinball machines. No account yet? Registering only takes a sec!


Found 505 ratings (with comment) on this game

There are 505 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
Currently showing results page 1 of 21.

List options






8.376/10
62 days ago
Fun game! Never want to own one because they constantly seem to have problems but when it’s up and running man it’s fun. Not smooth…. May be a little slow and perhaps it’s up there in difficulty but I seem to always come back for more.
8.744/10
62 days ago
I've owned this game for quite a while now, and I like it a lot, but the honeymoon-period wore off faster than I expected.

The layout is awesome, one of the best. It is very open, with a lot to shoot for, which I like. The ramps feel great, hitting the spinner is awesome (especially when combo-ing into the upperflipper-ramp) and I like the number of scoops at various places that are not generic (commander shot, neutral-zone hole, right-orbit hole). The upper-flipper ramp is also really awesome due to its connection to the Borg ship.

Regarding toys, I love everything except the cannons. The Borg ship is an ominous toy, floating above the playfield with its intimidating lighting, functioning as a ball-lock that can throw them out. The teleporting ball-system is really cool, massively improving the flow of the game. The wireform themselves are almost toys, with their loops.

The cannons however. Shooting them is kinda fun, but I hate how the shape of the slightshot influences the game. Even with extended outlanes, it is really hard to keep the ball in control when it is nearing the lanes, both because it blocks visibility and the weird shape. It often kills my enjoyment because it is impossible to nudge correctly.

Rule wise, this game is quite good for the 90s. Everything is disjointed, but the modes are unique and fun. I like building warp levels. The only thing I do not like, is the ball-lock system. I hardly ever see the Borg-ship used. Most ball-locks are through the neutral-zone or right-orbit-scoop, which are not spectacular.

Theme intergration is done perfect. I am not that familiar with ST, but everything exudes 'infinite space, with aliens and adventure'. I love the black & purple color scheme. The call-outs are also lovely. The music is repetative though, I would have loved a more pinball-focused soundtrack rather than the theme from the show.

A great game overall, which is pretty, unique, fun and challenging for quite a while. I just hate the outlanes on this game.
7.924/10
72 days ago
Nice wide body that plays well with a ton of shots to keep the action going..fun shooting the cannons that makes the game very unique from others..great for the sci-fi gamer
5.581/10
3 months ago
The amount of times this game drains makes it nearly unplayable which is a shame because the modes, the theme, the playfield art is all top notch. I have no idea what this team was thinking creating such an easy drain, especially the left side.
9.800/10
3 months ago
If you don’t like this game you have no joy in your life lol. One of my favorite games ever. The shots are fun, the call outs are awesome the 2 guns are a blast and the Picard shot is so tough yet satisfying when you hit it.

This is one of if not THE best games in pinball. It’s just fun
8.585/10
3 months ago
This game has such a nice flow. It feels so zen to play it, compared to most other pinballs which are a lot more nervous and rushing. The music, sounds and animtions are very nice too. Color display is a must on this one. I have never watched TNG and I hate the backglass. For those reasons I avoided this pin for over 15 years. About 4 years ago I finally bought one and it was a pleasant surprise. I installed Pin2DM, leds, laser cannon mod and alternative translite. It is still in my collection of 15-18 games now.
5.645/10
4 months ago
Terrible
9.240/10
5 months ago
STTNG Is pretty good. I don’t play very often because I like Tommy, Joker poker, Star wars, Demolition man, and Monster bash, but it is fun! I like the mission evacuate all personnel and once, I got the final frontier! Is that a wizard mode? I don’t know. It would be good if you know.
8.292/10
5 months ago
Very nice machine. I do like this more old school Star Trek machine. I like the shots and the layout of the machine. Only thing are the killer outlines which often drain the ball. But of course this could be solved with a different pair of outlanes (or more skill). For me this machine is a classic machine which I would name like Medieval, Addams, Theatre, Indiana but this is my opinion. Would love to own this machine for a while.
8.500/10
6 months ago
This is one of the best games from Steve Ritchie's time at Williams.

The layout is very wide and the three ramps provide this game with a lot of flow. The way this game plays is unlike any other. The two cannons make this game very interactive. The Battle Simulation is very hard but it is a lot of fun if you succeed.

I love the multiball. Collecting the Super Jackpot is a lot of fun and the modes are very nice to play as well. The video mode is very challenging and a change from the usual swiping from left to right (like Attack from Mars or Terminator 2).

The artwork and animations look very good and perfectly fit in with the Star Trek theme.

Overall this is a flowly and fun game which will appeal to anybody who is a Star Trek fan. It is one of the best WPC games.
8.620/10
6 months ago
One of the best classic Bally/Williams out there. A code that’s on par with modern Stern machines, TWO ball guns, excellent sound, and amazing last-ability, you’ll never get bored of this one, especially if it’s in prime condition. One of the finest Superpins.
9.392/10
7 months ago
I'm probably going to start reviewing one of my favorite games per day. Hold me to this. ;) That said, TNG is in my top 10 for sure. Something about it makes me happy whenever I play it. The game is beautifully choreographed, with excellent and unique music cues and light shows. My favorite little touch is easy to miss: If you score a jackpot in multiball, Picard adds a "supplemental" note when the game ends.

This is a Steve Ritchie game, so the shots are wonderfully smooth. The side ramp is very satisfying whenever it is nailed, especially when it goes all the way up to the Borg lock. The guns are AWESOME and contribute to the start of Borg multiball. A drawback I can think of are those outlanes...my god, they're atrocious. 90% of my drains were through the outlanes.

Overall a truly excellent game that stands the test of time. It would be in my collection.
9.244/10
7 months ago
This is one of the first pinball tables I played! I love this game! The probe canon is as fun as it ever was, shots are fun and interesting and the code is impressively deep for a game of the era. I generally consider this to be the first "modern" pinball game.

Is the art a little dumb? Yeah...
Are the out lanes excessively thirsty? For sure
But those things only slightly detract for an otherwise outstandinf game.
8.729/10
7 months ago
Never watched Star Trek but this game has great shots, super jackpot is very satisfying.
8.920/10
9 months ago
Brought this in for the theme. I have always liked the next generation series. At first I did not really enjoy this machine. But the more I started to rebuild it and play it more, the more I have enjoyed it. Not sure how long I will hang on to it? But for now I am enjoying it!

Update! This game keeps me coming back for more and more! So much more fun now that I have had it longer!
9.080/10
9 months ago
A great classic with deep code (for its time). Upgrading the DMD to colour and leds brings this game to life.
9.800/10
10 months ago
Added this title to my line up a few weeks ago and after some dialing in I'm really enjoying it. Can be brutal, especially the outlanes, but when you get going and hit the ramps, orbits and Picard maneuver it feels really smooth. Modes are easy to understand with nice animations and sounds. Overall, a solid game.
9.480/10
10 months ago
I really really liked this game, the layout is awesome and I'm a huge TNG fan! Lots of satisfying shots in this game, and a really cool unique multiball start with the left cannon firing at the middle scoop for Jackpots. The theme is one of the best in pinball (And features voice acting from the entire cast!) but regardless if you like it, the rest of the game makes it a worthy candidate for anyone's Top 10! If you see one in the wild, play it!
9.700/10
11 months ago
Almost perfect!
With the LX-8 ROM this game is incredible!
Only the backglass and the cabinet could be a bit better, but that doesn‘t matter. For me the gameplay is the most important thing for a pinball machine.
9.040/10
1 year ago
Great game, just bought it ... probably a keeper
9.200/10
1 year ago
I'm not a big Star Trek guy compared to other things but I do enjoy it as does my family. TNG is a game anyone can enjoy but is especially incredible in tying its theme in for fans. From the artwork to the storyline to the sounds, it's one of the best utilizations ever.

My particular favorite, and what I would say is the greatest multiball startup in pinball is the cast of the show preparing to defend a Borg attack. Slowly as you lock multi balls in, Starfleet Command warns you about Borg presence in the area, before they show up on your visual scans. Finally the Borg announce their assault as they begin to fire upon the Enterprise. As the explosions sound, Marina Sirtis' Commander Troi announces casualties mounting on multiple decks. The ever amazing Patrick Stewart, bold as ever as Captain Picard, acknowledges, shouting out "ALL HANDS, PREPARE FOR MULTIBALL!" as that blue ring lights up on the playfield, revealing it to have been the Enterprise's shields all along.

I gush thinking about it. When people talk about narrative and theme integration in pinball, The Next Generation is a gold standard. I'm lucky to have a copy to play on pinball arcade whenever I'm not near a machine, as I truly believe this is one of the all time classics from the flow master Steve Ritchie. If you're not a Star Trek fan, this will certainly get you excited to try it sometime, and that's why theme is so important in this hobby.
9.440/10
1 year ago
Nothing stands the test of time other than Star Trek:The Next Generation. Having two newer games (Star Trek, Star Wars), these pinball games are also an excellent play and display BUT nothing comes close to nerd pinball gaming as ST:TNG. The Star Trek them, characters, missions, shots, display, sounds, and wide-body complexity make the game fun to come back to. Add a color DMD display, LEDs, Pinduino Borg ship and ramps and you have a world class game that keeps Star Trek fans coming back for more. Live long and prosper, Star Trek!
9.320/10
1 year ago
If I had to keep one machine out of my entire collection, this would be the one. I will stand there and play this machine for hours at a time without walking away. I love everything about it! Hitting the left outer loop around to the right upper flipper and nailing the Delta ramp is the most satisfying feeling in any galaxy! The Battle Simulation mode is also a great feature that adds so much to the game. I recently installed the laser canon mod and it looks awesome.
9.600/10
1 year ago
First really well integrated animation. Also points for multiple actor voices. A top 5
8.589/10
1 year ago
Have this game in my collection, very addictive. Will add more comments later.
There are 505 ratings (that include a comment) on this game. Currently showing results page 1 of 21.

You too can add your own comment by rating this game! Click here to rate this game!

Over the years

Visualizing this game's rating and rank over the years

Hey there! Welcome to Pinside!

Donate to Pinside

Great to see you're enjoying Pinside! Did you know Pinside is able to run without any 3rd-party banners or ads, thanks to the support from our visitors? Please consider a donation to Pinside and get anext to your username to show for it! Or better yet, subscribe to Pinside+!


This page was printed from https://pinside.com/pinball/machine/star-trek-the-next-generation/ratings/edit'/8 and we tried optimising it for printing. Some page elements may have been deliberately hidden.

Scan the QR code on the left to jump to the URL this document was printed from.