Stern announces new KISS pinball

[andypinboy]

Thinking about the timing, TWD was released not long after it was announced that Stern got the Kiss licence.  JPop took his non playable prototype to Chicago expo I think (oct 2014), only to have the licence granted to Stern just a few weeks after.  So the timing is right that Borg could have been given KISS immediately after TWD, with instruction to get this done ASAP.

KISS would have wanted to rush out the game out to coincide with their just released album - something that Stern probably explained to the KISS marketing people was not achievable by JPop.  Stern probably passed the game to the person they feel is their fastest designer - the master John Borg.


...This has to be a KISS machine!

I can't help but brag about my prediction above made one month ago.    (Admittedly, I did change my mind later based on a Stern FB post ).


Here is my next prediction:  Denis Norman is designing Thunderbirds.

I won't explain that logic just until my prediction becomes fact.


...I Love the pop bumper caps on KISS.  I hope that retro style becomes the common practice for all machines.

This! Well done BB  
I like the cab - prefer the red - not so keen on the backbox sides. Will be very interesting to see how the game performs in the marketplace - such a hard act to follow the original.

[Strangeways]

Nino the LE has red power coat and Premium and pro has black trim :) I'm sticking with premium as the black will sit nice new to my back in black rock on KISS I love it.

Cool - I like the flames on the cabinet, so I'll stick with the LE. Three cabinets are all slightly different.

Ironically, I have not bought ANY KISS memorabilia for 10 years. This game looks simply unbelievable. The hand drawn art, the classic pop bumper cabs, the spinner, two drop targets and COLOSSAL BONUS is back ! The central artwork on the playfield looks nothing like the 4 members - it is more like the comic book. Well done on Stern FORCING the issue of the original members. This could have been a massive lemon, but I'm sold. I have a headache over the excitement !

I JUST HOPE I can remove the re recorded tracks and replace them with the original recordings.

[Pop Bumper Pete]

There is an article on pinside about replacing sound clips on stern games
Not sure if is just SAM or it works with spike aswell

But whatever the fix, you will have to apply the same fix each time you update the software

[RottyGuy]

I think the cab artwork is a bit too simple. Playfield and BB look good. The pro / premium would be my pick based on looks alone.

[oldskool1969]

I think the cab artwork is a bit too simple. Playfield and BB look good.

I think it is overloaded and messy! I liked the look of the play field art when it was a sketch in black and white. The cabinet is, um, well way too technicolour yawn for me. Very colourful is an under statement. Maybe the artist Kevin tried too hard to make it look like a Dirty Donny art piece. Just doesn't look right. An 80's art work on a modern 2015 machine. hhhhmmmm!
Hope it plays really well!

[Prince]

Well it’s finally happening after all these years and it looks great.
I’ll be reading on this pinnie with great interest, considering i’ve been on a hiatus on the pinball communities of late.

[Slash]

I like the artwork and the nods it gives to the original pin in various places.  I think the black armour looks better than the red.  The red just seems to make the whole playfield with the flames etc appear too OTT.  Take away the red armour and it looks better to me.

[andypinboy]

Plenty of diversity of opinion on this one. On the cabinet someone said too simple but I think the opposite - I would have preferred the flames more red than orange & in a simpler style so as to give a larger "nod" to the original. And the black - rather than "glittery"/ stars (whatever they are) I'd prefer it just solid colour fading to darker at the edge. And I would like the backbox sides better matching the cab. I can see how it is dividing opinion - given the aesthetics I feel that gameplay will be the decider on this machine.

[swinks]

apparently the rumour is

600 LEs are being made (300 going overseas, 100 to Kiss fanclub, 200 remaining for North America).
LEs ship late June.
Premiums ship late July.


matrix and the line up together

[Strangeways]

I loved the artwork on TWD LE - best cab art I've ever seen. Once the machine is in a line up with other titles, it is not really an issue. I like the red flames. It is not too overbearing and it has the original four members. This IS the key for most fans. If the sideart had the present members, I would NEVER had committed to this game. So it is clear to me that the artwork is either the original line up or the comic book "heroes" look. VERY VERY happy with this. The only other option would to go "all out" with the artwork from an album, or another concert shot drawn by Kevin O'Connor. I was not expected the cabinet to be overbearing. I'm just grateful that the art has ACE and PETER.

The playfield art is simply unbelievable - I loved the art on Metallica - but that type of design can be a little overbearing. I love what they have done. It is perfect. I'm so happy that they have the tie in with the original artwork. The bumper caps, the wireform ramps, the TAF similarities with the pop bumpers and the scoop. TWO Drop Target banks, some weird game features that I have no clue about, but an open playfield with no bash toy.

Seriously, it is like Stern have been asking "me" what "I" would like for a KISS pinball. Pinch me, is this all real 

[swinks]

Interesting the guy who did this version of the classic Kiss pin showed it to the artist of both pins back in 2012.

[Strangeways]

Interesting the guy who did this version of the classic Kiss pin showed it to the artist of both pins back in 2012.

Which was preceded by another that was done by a French dude and even another 10-12 years ago done at Bumper. So it was originally copied from the original factory design with a different base colour and flames. I can't understand why people like that give themselves so much credit when they have copied someone else anyway ?

So the guy that copied the original cabinet (different colours and added flames), shows this to the guy that actually designed it, and then claims some sort of credit ?

[skywalker]

So differences between Prem & LE, just art work & what else ?

[swinks]

Interesting the guy who did this version of the classic Kiss pin showed it to the artist of both pins back in 2012.

Which was preceded by another that was done by a French dude and even another 10-12 years ago done at Bumper. So it was originally copied from the original factory design with a different base colour and flames. I can't understand why people like that give themselves so much credit when they have copied someone else anyway ?

So the guy that copied the original cabinet (different colours and added flames), shows this to the guy that actually designed it, and then claims some sort of credit ?

I have only seen this one, but good point.

moving right along..

[skywalker]

TWO Drop Target banks, some weird game features that I have no clue about, but an open playfield with no bash toy.

 

Hey Nino, The LE looks Killer,


Just looking at the drops the right side they look like stand up's, hard to tell ??

hi res pics below

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2015/05/play-pinball-like-its-1978-with-the-new-kiss-game/