Spike 2

Stern Pinball Unveils the Thrilling Metallica Remastered: A New Era of Pinball Gaming

Stern Pinball, Inc. has just announced the launch of Metallica Remastered, an exciting upgrade to one of its most iconic pinball machines, originally released in 2013. This new version not only retains the spirit of the beloved classic but also enhances it with cutting-edge technology, making it a must-have for pinball enthusiasts and Metallica fans alike.

What’s New in Metallica Remastered?

The Metallica Remastered machine boasts significant upgrades, including a vibrant full-color LCD display featuring all-new animations and stunning live concert footage. Powered by Stern’s modern Spike 2 electronics, this game elevates gameplay and presentation, allowing players to enjoy an expanded tracklist with 22 songs—eight more than the original.

The game also includes exciting new features like an Expression Lighting system, improved artwork by renowned Metallica artist Rhys Cooper, and enhanced mechanical devices that add to the overall gaming experience. The original playfield layout has been preserved, but players will benefit from new geometry, improved gameplay toys, and dramatic UV lighting effects.

source: Stern Pinball – YouTube

Metallica: A Legacy of Influence

Since its inception in 1981, Metallica has redefined rock music, captivating audiences with their electrifying performances and groundbreaking sound. Their cultural impact extends far beyond music, creating a massive global fanbase. This new pinball machine pays homage to their legacy while offering a fresh take for both old fans and newcomers.

Design and Features

Stern Pinball’s design team, led by John Borg and software engineer Raymond Davidson, has meticulously reimagined the original game. They’ve introduced three stunning new sculptures: Sparky, the Hammer, and illuminated Skulls, along with a new Metallica logo on the back panel. Enhancements to the iconic Lyman Sheats rule set add two new game modes inspired by Metallica’s latest albums—72 Seasons and Hardwired…to Self-Destruct—alongside a new “Blackened” Wizard Mode.

Players can expect an immersive experience with over 1,000 new speech calls from the band, new sound effects, and seamless integration of additional Metallica tracks, complete with HD-quality concert footage.

Limited Edition Highlights

For collectors, the Limited Edition (LE) model is a treasure. Limited to just 500 units worldwide, this version features exclusive elements such as the Expression Lighting System™ and custom-designed artwork. Other perks include upgraded audio, anti-reflection playfield glass, and a numbered plaque with a Certificate of Authenticity.

Get Yours Today!

Metallica Remastered is now available in Premium and Limited Edition models, with a range of accessories set to launch soon. Pinball fans and music lovers alike won’t want to miss out on this exhilarating new chapter in pinball history.

The world’s largest pinball manufacturer, Stern Pinball, have launched their new online platform, Insider Connected!

According to their press release, Insider Connected is a comprehensive technology initiative to connect the universe of Stern pinball machines. The platform is designed to enhance and extend player engagement with the games across both home and commercial environments. It also presents operators of pinball machines with a robust set of tools to drive location play, build player loyalty, analyze performance, make adjustments remotely and maintain the machines.

Registration for Insider Connected is free; players can either scan a QR code at the games or go to the Stern Pinball website where they will need to enter an email address and create a password. Once players register for Insider Connected, they are issued a unique QR Code that can be used to identify that player at any connected Stern pinball machine, anywhere in the world. When a player logs into the machine, they can track their progress, earn new game specific achievements, engage with the player community and participate in promotions and Challenge Quests.

Challenge Quests can be issued by operators to drive play at their locations and build player loyalty or by Stern Pinball to highlight a game title or engage the community. When players complete quests, they receive loyalty rewards.

Key launch features of the Insider Connected platform include:

Gameplay up to 4+ players – friends or foes
Game achievements and promotions
Stern authorized Quests and Operator authorized Quests
Loads on loads of free play, pay to play games, rewards and treasure chests

source: Stern Pinball

All Stern Spike® 2 LCD games produced after the September 2021 launch will ship with the Insider Connected system installed; this includes new runs of previously released titles. Any existing Stern LCD game can be added to Insider Connected by installing a simple, inexpensive retrofit kit available from Stern distributors, dealers and the Stern Store® – we have asked Stern to provide more details about this kit. We will update this post once we receive their response.

By the end of the year, all 17 Stern Spike 2 LCD system titles will be added to Insider Connected, which means we’ll be able to connect our Star Wars Comic Art Premium machine! At launch seven titles will be supported, with the remaining Spike 2 LCD machines added over the next year. with full system with added features will be rolled out. Once again, we have reached out to Stern to confirm the seven titles that be supported at launch – we will keep you posted!

We have written about internet connected pinball machines in the past, so it is great to see Stern Pinball finally enter this new age of online pinball play and cool tools to interact with pinball machines. This is a game changer for sure, so we will keep an eye out on the evolving feature set and will report back on what more we can find out from Stern Pinball about their Insider Connected platform – so stay tuned!

PS: We have reached out to Stern Pinball with a number of questions relating to their Insider Connected platform, so look out for a future update!