Pinside rating

This game received 222 approved Pinsider ratings and currently rates 7.909 _/10

7.909

Top 100 ranking

This game ranks #98 in the Pinside Pinball Top 100.

Score breakdown

Score breakdown in the 4 main categories:

Game Design: 7.494

Artwork: 8.013

Sounds/Music: 8.173

Other Aspects: 7.841

Pinside staff rating

This is how we, the very knowledgeable (wink wink) Pinside.com staff & moderators rate this game. 4 of us have rated this game.

7.698

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This title is part of group: "The Beatles"

The Beatles
(Gold Edition)

The Beatles
(Platinum Edition)

The Beatles
(Diamond Edition)

Found 110 ratings (with comment) on this game

There are 110 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
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4.836/10

18 days ago

JSA

sidetrackedbrew

Sidetracked Brewery

Morganton, NC

1y 37,050 77 8 18 1

I understand what they were going for with this machine; a simple, one-layer playfield that could feel like it came out during the Beatles’ heyday in the 60s, but still be fun and relevant in today’s pinball landscape. They achieved the first objective, not the second. If this machine HAD come out in the 1960s, it would be insanely awesome. However, given modern pinball technology, it leaves more than a lot to be desired. The drop targets are quite integral to gameplay, and far too much so. Basically the entire game is drop the targets, start a mode, (song mode, that plays throughout), shoot what that mode wants until you’ve shot it enough times, drop the targets for the next mode. And then that’s it. There are two special multiballs that can be achieved after this is done 5 times, depending on how many of the same shots you hit in each mode. The jackpot shots are ok, though the upper jackpot loop is too easy, and the lower super jackpot standup nearly impossible.
The theme is well integrated into the artwork, but for a music pin there are far too few songs that are integrated, and they’re all quite similar Beatles songs in feel. The Beatles music had so much variety that I find it disappointing that they chose 5 songs that are all of the same relative energy.
All in all, a Beatles pin, even given the constraints of 1960s feel, could have been so much better. This one is a miss.

2 Pinsiders flagged this.

7.814/10

22 days ago

ADM

AMartin56

Pinside member

Austin, TX

1y 46,300 758 6 9

Fun shooter that goes well with my other modern games as a change of pace. It's a big hit with guests and our kids that might be intimidated by more complex games. It's nice having a old school game without all the potential maintenance issues. Great art package. I think the sound is very well integrated for a music pin. Cousin Brucie as the narrator is a nice touch. Ruleset is good for what it is. Easy to follow but keeps you focused on more than just keeping the ball alive.

No real downsides if you are a Beatles fan and know what you're getting. I wouldn't recommend it as an only pin.

AMartin56 currently owns this game.

7.464/10

40 days ago

MFA

Mishap

Pinside member

Seattle, WA

2y 27,300 16 5 32

Seawitch got two upgrades: the shootable loop & bonus standup and one downgrade: that miserable record magnet. Overall, this is a good use of a classic layout and sacrifices depth for challenge, which is generally a plus for me, though this has less depth than a lot of 80s machines, let alone 90s. Really really weird use of the most expensive IP imaginable- wouldn't you expect a George, John, Paul, and Ringo mode? Rooftop reunion multiball? Guessing there may have been NIL issues, so they went with some B level songs instead and did a 1964 theme to reign in the possibilities.

Pros: Tough, quick play with clear objectives. The modes (if not earned later in a ball) are chosen, so you get to pick your poison. The strategies are usually keep the ball alive and find the 1-3 shots to work your mode, so it's a pretty even playing field for every player. It also has no stalls, outside of brief magnet holds, so it's a very fast game that borders on a workout if you have a long ball. The bonus standup is a beautifully designed shot that is appropriately difficult for the huge reward it carries.

Cons: The returns from the pop area are random and the flipper gap is wide, so center drains are very tough to save, and it adds a huge luck element. The record magnet is a terrible and unnecessary feature. While I usually don't care as much about depth, the shallowness to this one hurts its lastability a lot. Ignoring wizard modes, 1981's Centaur has a much deeper rule set.

8.320/10

87 days ago

WPG

guymontag451

Wedgehead

Portland, OR

12y 92,800 1,006 26 164

I love Seawitch, but there was a little bit of a flaw in the upper loop shot that made it nearly impossible to repeat and combo. George Gomez tweaked the geometry a bit but kept the basic layout intact for this game, and we end up with an upgraded reskin. It’s also very nice to have stern drops that actually fall down reliably when you hit them, unlike the old Bally tombstones of the past.

Franchi did a good job with the art package, even if we all wished that this game was the later era beatles instead of this early era. But the game is a wonderful update of an all time classic replete with some hits from the most successful band of all time.

4.664/10

3 months ago

???

OPR9691

Pinside apprentice

Unknown

<1y 4,750 2 6

This has to be the most terrible machine i have ever played, boring shots, shoots too fast and not much excitment going on. All round just a boring machine 60's style.

2 Pinsiders flagged this.

8.632/10

4 months ago

CEC

JustEverett

Wichita Pinball (WPC)

Wichita, KS

6y 127K 1,519 19 67

I mocked this game relentlessly before playing, especially my friend who purchased one. "Why would you pay money for that re-skinned Seawitch!?" etc. Well...then I played it. Now every time I go to his place, I have to play Beatles a few times. My affection for simple, fast, brutal, single level games continues to grow. Beatles was a continuation of that after playing TNA. Now I'm hooked on this style of game.

2 Pinsiders starred this!

9.331/10

6 months ago

RMF

MasterReese

Pinside apprentice

3y 35,150 2 3 66 1

Really a much better game than I expected it to be. It’s very fun and obviously has great music. The loops are fun and the similar layout to sea witch doesn’t bother me much.

7.723/10

7 months ago

DRE

DrEggroll

Pinside apprentice

Grand Rapids, MI

<1y 12,750 5 6

I really enjoy this pin. It’s different than most modern pins. I think I would get sick of the music as a home pin but always want to play on locatiins

DrEggroll has this game on the wishlist.

2 Pinsiders starred this!

8.111/10

7 months ago

DIA

mrossman5

Pinside+ Frequent

Warren, PA

6y 197K 3,060 7 252

I think this is a nice looking and playing machine. Much better than WNBJM and I find the layout to be fun to shoot even though I don't care for Seawitch. Price is a bit too high though for what you get.

9.620/10

8 months ago

???

Pinchild

Pinside member

Eagle, ID

4y 53,300 662 16 44

I am at a loss of words this time.Beatles is wonderfully fun. I am not going to get rid of this machine as it combines old school pinball ball with new technology and hits an absolute Homerun!
Truly pleased to have a game in my collection that is new with no ramps no gimmicks (spinning record not included) no subways etc...
I cannot believe I waited so long to get one of these.
Mic Drop

Pinchild currently owns this game.

9.780/10

9 months ago

MMM

Maverick222

Pinside+ Frequent

Los Angeles, CA

1y 40,050 73 56 15

Played it for 5 mins on location, went online and bought one for myself. It was one of the best purchases I’ve made! Love the game!!

Maverick222 currently owns this game.

10.000/10

11 months ago

???

Jimmyzz

Pinside member

Lugoff, SC

2y 25,000 1 11 6

Was hesitant to get one because some people were saying not enough toys and got boring fast. Well I absolutely love it!! Love the nostalgia in a modern pin. Also like the older Beatles songs. It’s a keeper!

3 Pinsiders flagged this. 4 Pinsiders starred this!

8.092/10

11 months ago

PAT

CabinBound

Pinside member

Dunlap, TN

1y 26,650 4 29

Really fast and fun remake of an older pin. I do find myself coming back to it again and again on location.

Ball times tend to be short, but the orbits in this pin are just SOOOO satisfying to hit.

CabinBound edited previous rating on December 13, 2022.

8.372/10

1 year ago

TWS

TroyS

BomberMods

Longmont, CO

1y 104K 1,011 8 62 1

I have always loved Seawitch and when this came out it was a favorite right off the bat. Great game.

TroyS edited previous rating on September 18, 2023.
TroyS currently owns this game.

9.221/10

1 year ago

STE

SDanowski2000

Pinside member

6y 30,150 3 11

One of the most difficult pinball machines I can ever remember playing, and the reason I had to have it in my collection. The outlanes are brutal, and the upper set of flippers often get in the way of what you're trying to do. Great theme.

7.100/10

1 year ago

RAR

SchematicChaser

Pinside member

Modesto, CA

2y 40,250 1 4 119

Rebranded Seawitch?

SchematicChaser edited previous rating on July 11, 2022.

5 Pinsiders flagged this.

7.485/10

1 year ago

DDJ

D_Rock

Pinside+ Frequent

Mccordsville, IN

1y 43,150 32 15 14 1

Very fun in small doses. Great for parties due to the short ball times, but the small amount of songs get very old, very quick. For the money, an old Meteor or something similar has basically all the same gadgets other than the turntable. This pin is very theme reliant, which is good that they got all the licensing, but it needs far more songs, less “yeah”s and less crowds cheering to be less annoying & to have stayed in my collection longer. Shoots great, but lacking in some important areas.

D_Rock currently owns this game.

8.580/10

1 year ago

JWN

JustJared

Pinside+ Frequent

3y 55,400 332 6 2

I've owned this game for about 6 months. I really like it but I'm not in love with it.

It has great shots, great reward with the super jackpots. While this game isn't deep, it does bring a modern flare and great rules to basic pinball.

The loop, spinners, and upper flippers add a lot to this game. Getting all the drops down for an extra ball is fun but risky, collecting the extra ball isn't easy and can't be planned. I wish you could shatz to collect, but on mine I can't.

If I had a larger collection I would not get rid of this machine. At the moment, I'm looking for a little more depth. I can own simple pinball (although not on this level) in the form of a good EM for much less $).

Maybe someday I'll get another, I'm glad I owned one, but its time to let it go for now.

Update: It has been 3 months since getting rid of my Beatles and I miss it. I realize the beauty of this game. It take all the greatest aspects of a classic and gives them to you individually in the form of modes. Some classics did spinners best, some drops, some loops, some even 2 ball multiball. Beatles has all this in one pretty package, with modern mechanics, a super jackpot shot, and yes, is still brutal. If someone has the room to have 3 good classics that can do all the things individually that are great, do it. If not and you lack the room, take the money for those 3 classic games and put it into one Beatles pin.

The common question then becomes, do I really want the modern that does all the classics, or just buy a new stern pro or in my case Hot Wheels? Its a tough question, but newbies do like the Beatles, it is approachable and their ball times don't differ as much compared to experienced players (in relation to other moderns). Example: I could play a game of Beatles with my 7 year old without her getting bored during my ball, the same can not be said when playing my other moderns.

Did I mention my wife even said she liked the game? Beatles are a hard sell on the secondary market, I will likely buy one again when I have more room, the prices go down, or I have a location to place it.

Side note: I did not have the Stern IC kit in mine and had the alternate SD cards for the different albums. If I got bored with the music, I would just change albums, I may get tired of hearing the same song over and over again if I had the IC kit and wasn't able to do this. I also recommend adding a shaker into this game. It doesn't add as much as other games, but it adds enough to justify the $120.

JustJared edited previous rating on August 17, 2022.

2 Pinsiders starred this!

9.328/10

1 year ago

DRE

bloodonthepins

Pinside member

5y 50,800 162 52

The music, the visuals, the light shows, the smoothness of the shots, ripping those spinners, this game just feels amazing to play. It's the Beatles! Anything less than awesome would be a real shame, but this pin delivers. Beatles is at the top of my wishlist.

bloodonthepins edited previous rating on June 25, 2022.

9.280/10

1 year ago

BLC

Lilpro66

Pinside+ Frequent

Wichita, KS

7y 56,400 113 11 8

Very hard game but just a flat out fun to play.
Owned about 3 years now and it still gets a ton of play at my house.
Very addictive game.

Lilpro66 currently owns this game.

8.380/10

1 year ago

DAD

GranpaDave

Pinside+ Frequent

Xenia, OH

4y 81,300 328 39 39

Unlike the band, not the number one pin of all time. But that expectation would be too high anyway.

As everybody mentions, this is a re-theme of Stern's 1980 Seawitch game. I have never played an original Seawitch, but I did want an old school game but without the old game problems. This one definitely fits the bill and the music is fabulous.

The rules are very simple and a challenge to accomplish. Rules are not deep but the playfield includes everything but ramps, scoops, cool mechs, return ramps, action button, vuks, captive balls, but there's a spinning magnetic record!

Repeating upper loop shop is fun and there are stand-ups everywhere! Four flippers, one for each Beatle!

Given the early 1964 Beatles theme, this table really hits it well. The animations and movie clips are decent and the songs are of course very catchy. Some very clever pinball folks have also worked on some code for other albums.

I agree with just about everything else that other people have said particularly about not having this as your only pin. It definitely fits well in a larger collection. It is also fairly pricey for what you get. Mine is not bolted to the floor, but not going anywhere soon

Update: Surprise- Really enjoying this one as do my friends. Rules are simple- hard to master. Still great hitting those loops! This game has grown on me-keeping it for now.

GranpaDave edited previous rating on March 30, 2023.
GranpaDave currently owns this game.

9.463/10

1 year ago

???

Sweetwillie

Pinside member

Virginia Beach, VA

2y 42,800 51 15 18 1

Great game! Fun, fast, and challenging. Nice change of pace from a long, deep rules game like AIQ or Jurassic Park, or Godzilla. The newer Sterns are fantastic, but kind of similar overall. this game is entirely different. Music and call outs are as good as it gets!

Sweetwillie has this game on the wishlist.

9.700/10

1 year ago

???

blacklightprod

Pinside member

St Charles, MO

2y 34,900 104 30 30

This game is just pure fun and is some of the best artwork stern has ever put on a pinball game. The game looks easy but it’s actually hard and very addicting. I’m not a huge Beatles fan but this game is a home run

blacklightprod currently owns this game.

4.353/10

1 year ago

???

Atspinks78

Pinside apprentice

Unknown

1y 3,500 9

Boring machine

10 Pinsiders flagged this.

9.680/10

1 year ago

EEE

eee_Thailand

Pinside+ Frequent

2y 30,750 18

not easy to master... but will stay for long in our collection! still one of my best pinballs...

eee_Thailand edited previous rating on March 27, 2022.

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