Stern's RUSH Pinball
January 14, 2025 5:52 AM   Subscribe

You like Canadian prog-rock? You like pinball? Have I got something for you.
posted by Lemkin (45 comments total) 13 users marked this as a favorite
 
what a Peart-y table
posted by Ten Cold Hot Dogs at 6:04 AM on January 14 [2 favorites]


Huh. Neat. If I had a disposable twenty grand I would consider one.
posted by Jessica Savitch's Coke Spoon at 6:19 AM on January 14 [1 favorite]


If I had a disposable twenty grand I would consider one

Can you swing seven?
posted by Lemkin at 6:28 AM on January 14 [1 favorite]


Can you swing seven?

But shipping and long-term maintenance! Gotta admit, it is tempting though. As long as 'Caress of Steel' is well-represented.
posted by Jessica Savitch's Coke Spoon at 7:02 AM on January 14 [1 favorite]


I have always wanted my own pinball machine; now all I need is a nice unexpected windfall and somewhere to put it!
posted by TedW at 7:18 AM on January 14 [1 favorite]


I'm only in if they changed it to Caress of Krieger.
posted by aramaic at 7:19 AM on January 14 [6 favorites]


I played this a few nights ago at a local pizza place! I got the "Red Barchetta" bonus!
posted by Dr. Wu at 7:36 AM on January 14 [3 favorites]


I have been studying this machine among others for an upcoming pinball finals tournament and it's like my hobby is following me back online
posted by weewooweewoo at 7:51 AM on January 14 [2 favorites]


I have never wanted a pinball machine but if I did it would be this one
posted by ginger.beef at 7:51 AM on January 14 [1 favorite]


Also, please check out the Pinball Map App to see if Rush and other pinball machines are available in public near you!
posted by weewooweewoo at 7:53 AM on January 14 [2 favorites]


I love Rush but this game is three years old. The new hotness is Dungeons and Dragons, just out! https://sternpinball.com/game/dungeons-dragons/
posted by dfazman at 7:54 AM on January 14 [3 favorites]


I've seen this table is at a pinball arcade in Brunswick. I still am of a mind that pinball, if it's not bells and light and spinning dials, should be a DMD display and really tightly-designed animations. This era of playing a video clip or showing the current version of a Flash animation when hitting a target doesn't suit me well, it feels creaky and disconnected to the action of the ball.

There's been a lot of dad-rock-themed pinball games lately. In addition to Rush, just off the top of my head, there's been AC/DC, Aerosmith, Metallica and The Beatles. There's also been a recent Foo Fighters table, and Primus has a limited-edition, modern electro-mechanical design.
posted by JHarris at 8:32 AM on January 14 [1 favorite]


I love this game. I brought a Premium version when it first came out. It kinda gets a bad rep amongst pinball nerds for being convoluted, difficult and can take forever to play. My response is, yeah just like Rush songs.

You can pick them up much cheaper that even $7k. I just saw one going for $5600. There are plenty available on Pinside at the moment.
posted by slogger at 8:41 AM on January 14 [3 favorites]


I love Rush, but the pinball machine doesn't do it for me. What I really want is the 1994 World Cup Soccer machine with the dog that screams GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!
posted by grumpybear69 at 9:01 AM on January 14 [4 favorites]


I need a Rush and a D&D pinball machine. Shut up and take my (sadly, theoretical) money.
The Lord will provide (or so I've heard).

If He'd like to get on with it, that would be very much appreciated.
posted by BigHeartedGuy at 9:02 AM on January 14 [1 favorite]


Prog rock?
posted by Liquidwolf at 9:13 AM on January 14


Their Wikipedia article lists “progressive rock” as the first choice for Genre.
posted by Lemkin at 9:27 AM on January 14


and all time #1 according to Rolling Stone mag fans.
posted by philip-random at 9:29 AM on January 14 [1 favorite]


It kinda gets a bad rep amongst pinball nerds for being convoluted, difficult and can take forever to play

Wait… what?

I thought playing forever was the entire aim of pinball. Did I miss a memo about this?
posted by Lemkin at 9:32 AM on January 14


I played this a few weeks ago. It was awesome.
posted by CookTing at 10:02 AM on January 14


Do folks get used to the machines with the big screen that plays what feels like interstitial YouTube content? I played this game several times at a place in my neighborhood because Rush, but I found the whole visual interface distracting and sort of pointless. Possibly I am old-fashioned.
posted by kensington314 at 10:19 AM on January 14 [2 favorites]


Wait… what?

I thought playing forever was the entire aim of pinball. Did I miss a memo about this?


There are at least three instances in which a long-playing pinball game is a detriment:
1) During a tournament, there’s a real downside to a game taking an hour to play versus 10 minutes or even two: logistics, as well as the physical strain on players waiting around for hours for their turn;
2) Owners with games on location to make a profit do not do well if somebody spends a dollar and camps out on the machine for three hours;
3) If you’re the one in the arcade waiting for next
Oh, bonus #4: If you have been laboring over a meal and find yourself stuck, waiting for the rest of your family to finish the d*mn game.
posted by Nancy_LockIsLit_Palmer at 10:35 AM on January 14 [2 favorites]


I thought playing forever was the entire aim of pinball. Did I miss a memo about this?

There definitely needs to be a FPP about the modern state of pinball, because on one hand, you're correct: long plays are generally still seen as a positive on location.

However, the pinball market has shifted somewhat in the last 5-10 years, and definitely since Covid, where suddenly lots of people really wanted a machine at home. So, many modern games (including Rush) feature deep rules and playfields that allow good home players to play games of 20 minutes or longer as they progress through increasingly difficult modes.

That model can be satisfying for sure, but the flip side is not everyone wants a long game all the time! Sometimes a quick 4-5 minute game has a satisfaction of its own. The motivation to play long is also not really relevant when you own a machine on free play and thereby not trying to "get your money's worth".

On location, most operators can audit the average length of gameplay through the settings and then tweak things to essentially get the average to where they want. One number I've heard thrown around is 3 minutes a game (where the cost is $1.00).
posted by jeremias at 10:41 AM on January 14 [4 favorites]


Do folks get used to the machines with the big screen that plays what feels like interstitial YouTube content? I played this game several times at a place in my neighborhood because Rush, but I found the whole visual interface distracting and sort of pointless. Possibly I am old-fashioned.
posted by kensington314 at 10:19 AM on January 14


Some people do. Others of us have given a resounding “Meh.” and embraced the allure of the classic EM. (Why, yes, Joker Poker, I am looking at you!)
posted by Nancy_LockIsLit_Palmer at 10:43 AM on January 14 [2 favorites]


Sometimes Rush will elicit a few groans when it comes up in a tournament. We usually take out some of the "modern Sterns" during the later rounds for that reason. Yeah, sometimes I don't want the time investment of a game of Rush and might be in the mood for something more fast paced. I set mine to extra slutty (lots of free balls, practically no tilt because someday I would still like to beat Cygnus X-1 Book 1 and Book 2, and beat the 2112 wizard mode.
posted by slogger at 11:46 AM on January 14 [1 favorite]


I have never wanted a completely frivolous and impractical object so much. In the alternate-universe version of my life in which I have a wood-paneled, finished-basement rec room, I totally have one of these.
posted by Daily Alice at 11:47 AM on January 14 [3 favorites]


And as far as the modern era of games with full LCD screen, etc, I didn't like them much at first but have grown to really appreciate and enjoy them. I mostly ignore the onscreen content when playing, but watch when others are playing so I can pick up the rules.

Each era of machine has their own delights. EMs and early solid state games are great because that can be a strong equalizer between good players and n00bs. My favorite era is the DMD games with dot matrix displays from the 90's thru the '10s, like Fish Tales and Creature From the Black Lagoon. There's a great color aftermarket display for these games that really adds to the experience.

Then some eras have specific platforms that are just wonderful, like Gottleib System 80 with Haunted House and Black Hole, or my personal fave, the Williams System 11B, which includes Big Guns, Mousin' Around and the legendary Cyclone.

Yeah, someone should totally do an FPP on pinball!
posted by slogger at 12:21 PM on January 14 [1 favorite]


We usually take out some of the "modern Sterns" during the later rounds for that reason

This is like seeing The Color of Money for the first time and learning that what one thought was a grungy bar amusement is actually a deadly serious subculture.
posted by Lemkin at 12:38 PM on January 14 [2 favorites]


I love Rush, but the pinball machine doesn't do it for me. What I really want is the 1994 World Cup Soccer machine with the dog that screams GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!

Ah, there was one of those at DragonCon in 2023! The spinning rubber soccer ball wasn't working, but the rest of it seemed to be operable.

My favorite era is the DMD games with dot matrix displays from the 90's thru the '10s, like Fish Tales and Creature From the Black Lagoon.

Same here, although I detect a further distinction during that period. There are the relatively quick-playing machines where having a really good standard multiball is the main objective, and which both Fish Tales and CFtBL are examples. And then there are the "long journey" tables, where there is a wizard mode to aim for that requires going on the pinball equivalent of Odysseus' journey on a single credit. Addams Family, Twilight Zone, Attack From Mars, etc., are all examples of that kind of game. I used to be all-in on those kinds of games, but more recently the games that don't require jumping through hoops to get to the really good modes have become more appealing. I find a good compromise between the two styles to be White Water, which has lots of great modes and a fun multiball, but also has the Rafts to complete to reach Wet Willie's, and the Vacation Jackpot to aim for.

One of my problems with current-day pinball is that all the games seem to be Odyssey-length trials, and take even longer than completing the Door in Twilight Zone.
posted by JHarris at 12:54 PM on January 14


I spent large periods of my childhood playing arcade games throughout Chicago. One of my goals was to "beat" a game without feeding it extra quarters to extend play. This concept of beating a game was something that most pinball machines didn't support until the next generation of machines.

They are pretty hard to beat since pinball is slightly more physical. With Stern's Mustang machine I had a nearly two hour long game. There is a progression of Mustangs that you go through and I made it to the last one, but failed to complete it. I was so close to beating the game. Within a week the drop targets necessary to advance through the cars stopped working and were never repaired.

It's my white whale.


That Pinballmap site looks like the perfect way to resolve this as well as find a Big Lebowski machine that I've been wanting to play.
posted by john at 1:12 PM on January 14 [2 favorites]


Ah, I know that feeling john. At the college I went to they had an Attack From Mars where right right orbit would stop registering for days at a time, then would work again for days, etc. Problem was, the right orbit is an essential shot, without it you can't start Total Annihilation or light Super Jackpot, both required steps on the way to its wizard mode Rule the Universe. Two or three times I did everything else needed on the table, including finishing Attack Mars (usually the hardest thing to do), but couldn't finish it because the right orbit wasn't working that game.

But one game, it did work, and I did do everything else, and I did manage to Rule the Universe that one time, and my name was still up when they took the machine out. To date it's still the only time I've managed to accomplish it on a physical table.
posted by JHarris at 2:28 PM on January 14 [2 favorites]


Imagine paying 7K for a Rush pinball machine, playing it and realising you suck, and then having to hear Geddy Lee tell you "I play three keyboards and a bass... and you can't hit a pinball?" SCREW YOU GEDDY LEE, I'M TRYING MY BEST HERE!

(... so you will choose free will, huh? How about you choose to kiss my ass, buddy!)
posted by spoobnooble 3D: the spoobening at 2:52 PM on January 14 [5 favorites]


One glaring omission is there's no songs from "Grace Under Pressure" even though that is the best Rush album.
posted by kensington314 at 3:20 PM on January 14 [2 favorites]


Do folks get used to the machines with the big screen that plays what feels like interstitial YouTube content? I played this game several times at a place in my neighborhood because Rush, but I found the whole visual interface distracting and sort of pointless. Possibly I am old-fashioned.

There's one recent game, Pulp Fiction, that was designed by two old-school engineers from Williams (Mark Ritchie and George Petro) and had input from the first family of pinball, the Sharpes.

And instead of going all multi-level LCD madness they rolled back to the 16-segment plasma digit displays and kept the playfield single-level like it was in the 80s. It's refreshingly fun.
posted by mookoz at 3:21 PM on January 14 [2 favorites]


There's one recent game, Pulp Fiction , that was designed by two old-school engineers from Williams (Mark Ritchie and George Petro) and had input from the first family of pinball, the Sharpes.

I played that game last weekend! It was super fun.
posted by kensington314 at 3:39 PM on January 14 [2 favorites]


I gotta try that one! But, is there a mode based on the GNU Image Manipulation Program?
posted by JHarris at 3:54 PM on January 14


There's one recent game, Pulp Fiction, that was designed by two old-school engineers from Williams (Mark Ritchie and George Petro) and had input from the first family of pinball, the Sharpes.

And instead of going all multi-level LCD madness they rolled back to the 16-segment plasma digit displays and kept the playfield single-level like it was in the 80s. It's refreshingly fun.


Yep, the Pulp Fiction game is fun, hard, but fun!

It's also worth mentioning that the design limitations (no ramps, no LCD screen, etc) were a condition imposed by Tarantino himself, or else he wouldn't agree to the licensing.

Another single level throwback game is the James Bond 60th anniversary edition it has the old fashioned mechanical score reels to keep track of points and just plunging the ball feels luxurious. Hard to find unfortunately as I think only 500 were made.
posted by jeremias at 4:18 PM on January 14 [4 favorites]


Got to play it at Next Level Pinball Museum* and it was fantastic. Actually had a conversation with my better half about trying to acquire one. Have no idea where we would put it, but damn. It was a lot of fun.

(Husband played Rush, and I bounced between it and the Deadpool pinball machine.)

*If you are in the Portland, Oregon, area, you have to visit Next Level (in Hillsboro). $22 for an all-day all-play wristband, with pinball machines of all eras, along with video arcade games (an original Space Invaders, or wall-size Pac-Man, anyone?). I haven't had that much fun (and laughing so hard my abs got sore) in a very long of a time.
posted by sazanka at 4:18 PM on January 14 [4 favorites]


Canada is the world's leading exporter of power trios.
posted by kirkaracha at 10:49 PM on January 14 [4 favorites]


There’s an annual pinball gathering in Tacoma, WA that last year had many/most of the above-mentioned games (including Rush).
posted by skyscraper at 9:26 AM on January 15 [1 favorite]


Another single level throwback game is the James Bond 60th anniversary edition it has the old fashioned mechanical score reels to keep track of points and just plunging the ball feels luxurious. Hard to find unfortunately as I think only 500 were made.

There's one of these at my local. I appreciate the styling and gameplay, but wow the graphic design is bad. It's like a collage of various photo and illustrations styles that do not work together at all. I think the original list price was $20k+ but Stern later dropped it by a few thousand.
posted by slogger at 11:08 AM on January 15 [2 favorites]


Canada is the world's leading exporter of power trios.

and at least one gold standard cosmic trio who, in a just world, would have had their own pinball game decades ago.
posted by philip-random at 12:14 PM on January 15


This kind of thing always reminds me of one of my favorite exchanges from the Sam and Max video games:

"We are the Queen of Canada."

"I thought Rush was the Queen of Canada."
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 3:25 PM on January 15 [1 favorite]


Yep, the Pulp Fiction game is fun, hard, but fun!

It's also worth mentioning that the design limitations (no ramps, no LCD screen, etc) were a condition imposed by Tarantino himself, or else he wouldn't agree to the licensing.


I love the Pulp Fiction table, but I’m pretty sure the fun playfield limitations were not the only conditions Tarantino exacted. The important mode you’re trying to start has you collect five characters, and one of them is fucking Jimmy! They could have picked Butch or Ringo or Yolanda or Marsellus Wallace—there’s lots of interesting characters to choose from. Instead it's the guy in a bathrobe dropping racial slurs played by… you guessed it: Tarantino!
posted by Hoenikker at 4:32 PM on January 15


and speaking of pinball games in the here and now ...

Rock Fantasy (Middletown, NY)
posted by philip-random at 3:50 PM on January 16


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