Found 63 ratings (with comment) on this game

Borg's best by FAR. I am in love with the music, and the layout and shots are too perfect and just flow so well! underrated title for sure and I'm glad it's climbing the ranks. this game will be in my collection for YEARS!

Rush is a decent music pin.

The layout is good and there's some flow, which is very nice. The time machine is fun to shoot, despite being recycled from Austin Powers. The side-ramp is also quite a nice shot to make.

What makes this game really annoying for me is the scoop. On all, yes all, Rush Pros I played the scoop shoots the ball straight down the middle, at least occasionally. At my favorite location it does it almost all the time. I wonder whether John Borg doesn't play test his games or if I'm just unlucky.

Previous to this game Rush were pretty much unknown to me (I've heard AC/DC's Bon Scott mentioning them in an old interview once). And their music sounds good and fits well into this machine. The different modes are fun to play and in general I'd definitely enjoy the game a bit more without the obligatory center drains.

In terms of artwork the game looks good. Five years ago I would have probably said excellent, but that's how far the standards have risen after the release of gems like Metallica, Black Knight Sword of Rage and Godzilla just to name a few. The playfield is looking very good on this game and that's also the most important thing when it comes to artwork.

All in all, this is a good machine with a nice layout, some flow and a great package of artwork. It is sadly flawed by that scoop for me and those center drains really, really shouldn't happen in any case. Apart from that I think every Rush fan will enjoy playing the game. It is probably the optimal game for a casual player.

All in all, a decent effort. The art package isn't great, but I don't think it is as bad as some make it out to be. It looks like Rush. The layout has some fast and fun combo shots courtesy John Borg. The rules are fine, it feels very much like many other modern Sterns. Not being a massive Rush fan, but not disliking them, the theme is fine for me. It's not my favorite game, but also not a game that I dislike. I guess that makes it mid.

The sounds/music/ band chatting are fun but other than that I don’t think is a fun game overall. I admit I don’t understand all the rules but they aren’t any fun shots to aim for without it being a ball drain. And the Time Machine gimmick could/should have better.

A week into my PRO and have to say chasing high scores on this is just a blast! Hitting that time machine and having Working Man start cranking out the speakers is just an amazing pinball experience. Game shoots very fast. The rules take some getting used to but I'm slowly getting there. The callouts are hit or miss, being a lifetime fan of RUSH its great hearing Alex and Geddy chat it up, and they actually tell you what to shoot for which is another plus. I look at this game like I did Iron Maiden, its a cool way of introducing my kid to the music I listened to my whole life.

Fun game!

I'm a huge Rush fan and I don't know that I'd never own this game, but so far it's not at the top of my list of recent sterns. Especially the pro is somewhat disappointing with the deal end shot to the left of the ramp. However, part of this is just being spoiled by so many great recent Sterns such as JP, GZ, etc. I would probably rate this higher if it had come out in the 2000s, but I'm comparing it against other games of the current era.

Meh. Maybe it will grow on me.

The music works well with the machine and makes me wants to play another game. The shots are solid. The rules are coming together for me. There's always something to do in the game & to start a mode or multiball is not too difficult. Had to watch a few videos to learn the game better + there's also a great rules write up on the Stern website.

A hard one to rate for me as this game (where I've played it) it super brutal with short ball times for quite a while until you dial it in. BUT, once it is dialed in it's a ton of fun. The shots are good but the code is great fun with nice little touches like Fly By Night darkening down etc... I'm not really a fan of Rush (didnt really know anything except Tom Sawyer) but the music grows on you quickly and i didnt get annoyed by it at any point.

Art was pretty good. I quite like the asthetic even though others don't. Toys wise, I dont think it's loaded (this being the pro it's a bit weak TBH) but what it has it uses and there's a purpose to everything.

At the end of the day, I kept putting more money in and I kept getting better. At some point, once you've dialed it in (and it does shoot 'different' to a lot of other tables) it opens right up. Enjoyed it. Considered buying one TBH (and then FF was announced)...

There’s something I call “the cruelty of pinball.” It happens when you drain all your balls suddenly during a multiball; it happens when you hit a ramp, but the ball doesn’t go all the way up and comes screaming down the middle or down an outlane; it happens when you hit a target cleanly but with so much force that the ball bounces back and over the flippers. The cruelty of pinball is a fact of the hobby, but it can be tempered with the right machine set up. With Rush, either no one knows how to set up the machine to ease the cruelty of pinball, or this game has the highest amount of cruelty of pinball perhaps of all time.

All of the shots are satisfying to hit, but each successful shot has a high chance of punishing you. Hit the Time Machine? It shoots the ball straight down the middle on eject. Hit the bottom scoop? Same punishment. Hit the right orbit cleanly? It comes around the left, passing the bumpers and straight down the middle. Hit the right orbit but not as cleanly? It comes around the left, hits the bumpers, and the bumpers send the ball down the middle or down the outlane. It occurred to me that much of Rush’s “challenge” comes from its cruelty of pinball. Most of the shots are relatively easy to hit. The only shot that truly gives me any trouble is the right ramp. Otherwise, I can hit most of these shots consistently. It rarely feels rewarding to hit the shots, however, because a successfully hit shot might not reward you but punish you.

That said, Rush is still a lot of fun to play. Some people have scored like a zillion points on it somehow. I guess they own the game and have it setup nicely. I don’t have that luxury and can only afford to play according to how others set it up, which makes it a punishing drain monster. Rush’s music isn’t my favorite, but it fits the light show and flow of the game very well. The art, flow, shots, and rules offer a fun game. Just buy one and set it up your way to experience it the way it should be experienced.

I am a lifelong Rush fan and no aspect of this table disappointed. I hesitate to call something perfect, but from the first play this game has exceeded every expectation. I even love the friendly jabs and comments from the band, though they get a bit repetitive. Overall though, a perfect absolutely love it experience.

Big Rush fan. I wasn't quite sure what was going on. I played a few times, and I lost interest.

being a rush fan i love it another borg hit.....

Rush was a band that I had never heard of until I played this pin but now that I have been introduced to them I'm glad this pin exists.

Pros:
Good music
Modes are easy to understand
The game makes it pretty obvious what you need to shoot for
The Time machine is a neat gimmick

Cons:
Upper flipper shots feel kinda clunky
The lock behind the 3 bank is annoying to try and shoot
Modes are kinda repetitive

LOVE LOVE LOVE this pin. One of my favorites of all time. Has a fantastic flow and great play field layout. The modes are fun and difficult without being too hard. There is a ton of replay-ability in this machine and the shots (especially from the upper flipper) are a blast.

In full disclosure I was not a Rush fan at all going into this review. However, after having the pin I have really learned to like the music, it fits pinball very well. I am a huge Borg fan and this is his best layout in my opinion. It edges out Metallica in layout for me for the flow and challenge for his best. He took many aspects from previous games and improved it.

For me it is almost getting to be a sight unseen commitment for code from Ray Day and Tim in a pin. Excellent code in this game that is deep and keeps you coming back for more. I am very impressed and I would say better in coding than Godzilla in the fun factor. I put the ninja scoop mod on mine from day 1 and have not had any problems, my favorite game right now.

Excellent theme and should last the test of time. Very Fun to play, but at time challenging to keep ball from draining so I would call this a a more technical challenging pinball machine. Love the Pro version as gameplay is fast and you are not waiting for ball to return via second elevated return. Lack of clock opens up the playfield and I like the fixed ramp to the Time Machine making flow of the game uninterrupted.

I contrast this game with Led Zeppelin, a favorite shooter of mine. I enjoyed Rush and found a degree of polish in it frankly that LZ lacks, in particular in the animations. That said, this shoots slower than LZ which is what I enjoy the most and it also has a more stilted flow than LZ.

If you are Rush fan, you like this game. It is very solid and works well with the music. Like LZ, you can select which song you are "playing" which is a great feature (as compared to Metallica, for example).

The layout, fun, and playability of this game is very high! I got to play a few games and I really enjoyed playing it, however, it was hard to rate because I do not like Rush or their music so this is sort of a contradictory rating. Great game, terrible theme...that's the best way I can say it. If someone reskins it, I may buy one!

I played it on location when the machine came out 3 games and I literally was feeling of walking away each game, or hoping my ball would drain because I hated the machine. I took one in on a trade to give it another try, even though the theme does nothing for me.

Low and behold…. WHAT AN AMAZING GAME! Great flow and amazing code. The music will grow on you, sorta how Iron Maiden has grown on me. I don’t feel I’m missing much with a pro. The dead end shot feels way more satisfying than I ever thought it would. I just miss the ramp being up in the person because it makes the inner orbit/spinner shot a little more easier to hit on the premium. Other than that, totally underrated machine

Love Rush music and I am so happy Stern made this game!! As a fan of the band, I really enjoy this pinball machine. The playfield layout is unique and interesting, which at times can feel awkward and one sided, but at other times, feels refreshing and great to shoot ……..This ain’t no fan layout. Truthfully, the art is lame, but who really cares when the sound and music are perfection! Is this game a home run, no, but it’s above average and a really fun game to enjoy, especially if you like the bands music.

Absolutely love this game. The Cygnus wizard modes are awesome. Great flow. Being a huge Rush fan makes the game even better.

I have a bar-room basement with a 22' shuffleboard table, pool, and darts, but never bought a pin. I always wanted one though and we bought a vacation house I finally bit the bullet. I was going to buy a Golden Tee machine but while furniture shopping, I discovered that the place sold all the new Stern machines. I played around with them and over the course of a couple months I realized I had to get one.

I grew up playing a lot of pinball and listening to a lot of Rush, so it made the choice pretty easy. I was worried about the scoop issue but realized it was fixed after the first run, so that sealed the deal. I must admit the Godzilla and Jurassic Park machine were also both awesome, but after playing them all back to back I went with Rush.

Being new to this in terms of ownership and official terminology, I wasn't aware of all the different models. I am 54, so as a kid I played the one model that was released. To each his own, but I struggled to find a $2500 delta for the Premium mode of this machine. I was able to play both and I couldn't justify it, but I am sure many will disagree.

In terms of playability, the game is a blast. Lights, music, shot variety... it is just a cool game. I don't find it that difficult, but there are a lot of quick-drain shots sitting there if you aren't careful. Unlike the older machines I played into the early 90's, it is more generous with extra balls and multi-balls and restarts. I am still figuring out the rules, but admittedly I didn't read them yet. I just play and try to do what it says. The videos and voiceovers are super cool.

UPDATE 1: After 4 months, I will say the game does have a few quirks.

1 - The time machine will drain you dead center 1 in 5 times or so, which is unfair.
2 - The inner ring up top doesn't always register
3 - Bottom scoop ejects very inconsistently and will also drain you dead center, but it will usually give it back to you.
4 - The scoop mod is bad. They really need a better solution.

UPDATE 2: After 7+ months, I have made some changes, including a mod and a setting, and I have a little more perspective as I have started playing a few more games as I work my way back into the pinball world.

First big change is the code update to 1.02. It takes forever, but it is worth the wait. It fixes a lot of bugs and adds a 2nd opportunity for the skill shot. If you own the game, I recommend it.

After contacting Stern and griping a bit, they sent me a plastic cover for the inner orbit. It now registers the shot probably 9 times out of 10 at full speed, which beats the maybe 1 time in 10 on full speed without it. This is a must and it changes the game completely, especially with multipliers.

While some may consider it a cheat, I allowed for a 1 second save during multiball off a drain on the bottom scoop. I found it unfair that the scoop often drains you dead center, hence the need for Stern to add in the save to begin with, causing your multiball to end. Now and then if the timing is right it will save a ball it shouldn't, but most times it properly returns the ball that it drained on you unjustly.

I have played the premium a number of times and still feel the pro stands up to it well. The premium is actually easier imo because the Time Machine ramp is slightly wider and easier to hit with either flipper, and the dead end returns the ball clean to the right flipper every time. It also has a proper scoop design, which eliminates fast drains on a miss and allows for more inadvertent scoop hits. It is an awesome game, but I still can't justify the premium, and also the potential for malfunctions on the intricate Time Machine ramp mechanism.

I want to get the Owl mod that sits over the right ramp, but am nervous to open the game up to install it. I also want side blades, as I think they add a lot. The replay value remains high and I am thrilled with the decision to buy it.

My biggest gripe remains the flawed bottom scoop. The scoop mod makes hitting the shot harder and it also causes center drains in multiple ways, especially if the ball hits the right side softly, causing it to drop straight down the middle. It is the same playfield physically and functionally (the scoops) as the premium, so why can't Stern send us the Ninjacamp scoops (or similar) for a repair versus what they did as a fix? For what we pay, we deserve it to be proper.

Last but not least, I take back anything I ever said about the game being easy. It isn't that the game is super hard, it is just that unfair drains are the norm, even when you hit your shot. Both upper orbits can drain you dead center. The time machine can drain you when it ejects to the playfield and there is no option for a save. The bottom scoop can drain you exclusively at times, and if it catches something or is delayed in settling, it won't give it back. The hard bumpers on the bottom scoop mod are absolutely deadly. The instrument targets will send you out right. It is almost as if the angles were designed intentionally to drain you!

UPDATE 3: It's been a year and I am now back into pinball and about to get 2 more games. While I still take issue with Stern over some quality issues, I will say this game continues to be fun, and I rank above several machines that are ahead of it. The flow is outstanding, the code is great, and the layout is fabulous. Having played several other newer stern release, Rush sits top 3 for me still among the games I played.

Above all else though, I continue to feel that the Pro is a great value. The big features (ramp on time machine, clock, dead end return) do not justify the premium upcharge for me. On other machines, absolutely, but not this one. You can add a mod clock that does the same thing, and the moving ramp is nothing special. The ball lock is a "so what" feature. Just my opinion, ut this is one pinwhere pro makes sense. Having played the Premium a number of times as well, I feel strongly about that.

This is a great shooter.

UPDATE 4: I almost sold it 15 moths in, but went opposite and ordered the expression lights!

I am a huge Rush fan. I have all their albums in multiple editions, know all their songs and bought almost anything they ever put out.
I also love pinball so when the two things I love got together I knew I had to get it.

At first I was a bit afraid of ordering a game I've never played before but I don't regret it one bit.
The game is fast but it's also hard. I watched my nephews have a 2-3 millions on their first few games and it was "scoop-fest 2022" from constantly hitting the scoop.
Even I sometimes get 10 millions points on 3 ball games. So it's not a beginner table but it will grow on you, you'll know the dangerous shots and you'll get better with time. I made it to 1 billion once after a month of playing on a 5 ball setting.

The rule set and coding is superb with lots of possibility. The music integration couldn't be better.
The multiballs are very satisfying and there are many throughout a game. You feel like you're a pro during those modes.
It also has 2 other Cygnus modes so when you want to try something else, it's a totally different game.

There are a few flaws, like the right pop-bumper sticking to the back of the scoop, the inner loop not registering shots or the front scoop destroying the metal protector (on the first run of this machine - corrected later). Not a very big deal but it should have been caught during development.
I also wish it drained a little less. I put my machine to 5 balls play so games last longer and I can advance in a few modes.

Overall this game is awesome and one of the greatest pinball machine made to date. Any Rush fan should be delighted from all the little things that are Rush-related. Let's not forget the 600 voice calls made by Geddy and Alex themselves which are funny and entertaining. This is fan service of the highest order.
I find myself playing for hours and I can't imagine pinball getting any better than that.

I reluctantly took a new in the box Rush in a trade. But let me tell you. I am so glad that I did. I'm not the biggest Rush fan. But its pretty damn awesome! The shoots and flow are great. Compared to Godzilla it a more of a controlled flow. Were Godzilla is flow that is out of control.

The Time machine is a great use of a magnet. The control of the diverter on the upper ramps is a cool feature. The whole theme and music is integrated so well. John Borg hit it out of the park with Rush.

Great game, lots of fun and easy to make shots. I'm not even a big Rush fan but this pin made me realize how many of their songs I enjoy.