Of all the things to make a comeback in 2019, it's doubtful that many gamers saw Pinball machines coming - and yet here we are with big name franchises collaborating with long-time Pinball machine companies to bring new and exciting machines to a line of what was once thought to be a dead market.
Not too long ago we reported over on our sister site, Toonado, that
Rick and Morty were receiving the Pinball treatment in time for the holidays - and now it looks like the cast of Netflix's hit series
Stranger Things will be joining them with their very own machine produced by Stern Pinball Inc.
While the game only features the first two seasons, it has more than enough to keep fans happy with a magnet that helps to express Eleven's telekinesis and animated ramps as well as a central screen on the backboard. Artwork featuring everyone's favorite Hawkins delinquents was done by Pinball legend Brian Eddy
(Attack From Mars) who is returning to the game after a two-decade long absence.
Thanks to IGN, we were able to round up a few comments by the Director of Marketing over at Stern Pinball Inc. - Zachary Sharpe. Check out what he had to say about using clips from the show in the video on the Pinball machine.
Yes, but only from seasons 1 and 2. We have actual clips and speech from the show along with scenes we custom created using the 3D models from the series or ones that our talented video art production team developed specifically for the game. It’s a great mix of memorable scenes from the show and unique custom created content just for the pinball machine.
That's all well and good, but what about the actual game itself? What sets it apart? Sharpe goes into detail explaining exactly how it works and why it will wow players once they get their hands on it.
The projector is mounted under the bottom arch so as a player you can’t actually see it. The effect is magical as you initially wonder how all the surfaces on the playfield are lighting up and animating. The image projects onto the whole game and on to specific surfaces where we focus images. Some of those surfaces include the big screen in the middle of the playfield, the ramps, the standup targets, and drop targets. As with any projector the brighter the room the lighter the images but the projector is pretty bright because it’s only about 26” away from the surfaces. In an ambient home or arcade environment, it shows up really well. The projector is off the shelf technology customized for Stern. We tried a lot of different routes before we found the right partner to make it happen.
What do you think of Sharpe's comments? Check out the
Stranger Things Pinball trailer for yourself below!
Stranger Things Pinball is available now.