Stern announces new KISS pinball

[Retropin]

Topper looks cool.. nice aluminium channel letters. Someone got a good gig to build them all, shame it wasn't me!..LOL.
Have to agree though that Stern are far too keen to post and release unfinished stuff. The topper SHOULD have been displayed strobing how the KISS logo actually strobes. The curtain effect shown looks shite. Yeh I know its one of many strobing effects from the DMX controller, but so what?
Once again, Stern not dotting the I's and crossing the T's

[Freiherr]

I agree with Nino. That topper lighting needs some steroid injections. The speed and variety of lighting effects is a bit lame. A KISS pinball is worthy of something more WOW.

[andypinboy]

This is absolutely a massive gouge by Stern - disgusting! I'm GLAD all the LE's were sold by the time I became interested. Including 2 band members only is UNACCEPTABLE - even if Stern HAD TO DO THIS to appease Gene's ego it should not have happened. Stern should have had the ethics to go as far as say all 4 or no machine.

[GORGAR 1]

This is absolutely a massive gouge by Stern - disgusting! I'm GLAD all the LE's were sold by the time I became interested. Including 2 band members only is UNACCEPTABLE - even if Stern HAD TO DO THIS to appease Gene's ego it should not have happened. Stern should have had the ethics to go as far as say all 4 or no machine.

The way I read it is Gene & Paul on side rails and all members on lock down bar :) topper looks awesome.

[spacejam0]

sorry posted wrong section cant work out how to delete

[Cow Corner]

stern upgrade mods - topper and trim package

guessing topper will be around $250 USD and trim package around $500 USD it anything like TWD

-All painted with upgraded smooth satin black base coat
-Graphics are glossy finish and semi-reflective
-Graphics are burnt orange to accent the DMD surround graphics, back-board and playfield color scheme
-Right side features "The Demon" graphics
-Left side features "The Starchild" graphics
-Lock Bar features all 4 band members graphics & Logo
-Hinges feature official band logo
-Legs painted in upgraded satin black finish
-Easy installation, fully reversible
-Provides cabinet protection around flipper buttons



sorry the kiss topper is just a screen shot of the facebook video.

I reckon black mirror blades will be sweet in this game

All this should be included in the LE.

Stern may have enticed the KISS fanbase with an excellent looking game, but they are now ripping off fans and buyers of the LE. I would NEVER buy another Stern (after KISS). This is a blatant cash grab and ripoff. This is BS..

Funny how they only include the "Starchild" and "Demon" graphics. If they geniuses at Stern knew what they were doing they would have "Catman" and "Space Ace". Fans would get sucked into buying that, but not the Gene and Paul artwork.

I knew it would be "too good to last". Only Stern could screw something up like this.

Of course all those things should be included for LE buyers but cmon this is Stern we are talking about.
Did you really expect anything different?
I hope Kiss exceeds all your expectations and is the best game you have ever played.

I only heard of the "extras" for the respective games from owners of the machines. The majority don't buy the toppers etc - especially LE buyers, as they are aware that these extras should be parts of the US$2000 extra costs for an LE. So as a casual observer, I didn't care.

NOW that I'm a buyer, I'm VERY pissed off. I wanted an LE as I'm a KISS fan and collector. I fully understand there's not $2000 value from the Premium to the LE. But to "offer" this topper and trim set at this ridiculous prices is insane. These extras should be used to entice the "fence sitters" to buy a Premium if the topper is included.

The extras should be included with LEs. Instead of spending time finishing code, they seem more interested in ripping people off with extras that should be part of the LE package.

This is why I hope Stern don't do a new Star Wars pin.
It would be almost impossible for me to not buy one and with Sterns business model the way it is I don't want to buy anything NIB from them ever again.

[andypinboy]

This is absolutely a massive gouge by Stern - disgusting! I'm GLAD all the LE's were sold by the time I became interested. Including 2 band members only is UNACCEPTABLE - even if Stern HAD TO DO THIS to appease Gene's ego it should not have happened. Stern should have had the ethics to go as far as say all 4 or no machine.

The way I read it is Gene & Paul on side rails and all members on lock down bar :) topper looks awesome.

Yeah exactly - unbalanced! Double-up for Gene & Paul. To "upgrade" the trim when in production would cost Stern peanuts. Instead they sell a game with coloured trim & sell separately "better" coloured trim at a massively inflated price. This is what I mean by Stern not looking after its customers. I thought they'd got this one right but this leaves a very sour taste.

[4_amusement_only]

Maybe they considered constant flashing of that many LED's could be a hazard or annoyance in a public setting in attract mode.

[Retropin]

Topper is aimed at the commercial market??... I doubt that very much. It is directly aimed at the fan base

[andypinboy]

I'm wondering if this is Stern's way around the red trim debacle on the LE? Rather than admit they had a colour clash (or in other words orange looked way better) they went, hey we can make $ here too??? Or would this have been planned ages ago?

[robm]

This would have all been planned ages ago. Not sure anyone should be surprised...they did it with TWD so why not with Kiss. In fact from a business perspective they would be mad not to.

Not defending stern at all as i agree all this should be included in at least the LE model, however I can see why they did it after people bought twd mods so people will do it again

[Brunswick Brawler]

Um...

Stern haven't included toppers with other LEs, so I can understand that Stern selling it separately and making it accessible to all.  If the topper was provided with the LE, Stern probably shouldn't sell it separately.

But the side armour should have been part of the LE package, and limited to the LEs.  LEs needed something more to justify the price difference to a Premium.  The side armour may have been enough to keep LE buyers happy.

[Pintoxicated]

Stern have been missing out on cashing in on the mods for too long now.  Would I be p'd off if I had ordered an LE.....yes.  Does it make good business sense to offer the topper......yes.  Agree side armour should have been on the LE's as standard in a particular colour and then offer them in a different colour as a mod.  yes people could buy them and get them powdercoated or painted to look the same but Stern could easily put a LE sticker of some sort on the armour and then clearcoat it so it would always be a genuine LE item only.

End of the day, it's all about the hype and all the posts here alone are proof of that.  Some may think Stern have stuffed this up but when you look at all the hype surrounding this machine and the number of sales already generated, they have done well.  It might not be right or it may not please everyone, but they have done well.

Another reason to sit back and actually wait and see what the machine is going to be like and not get sucked in just yet.  I would love a Premium but I am not committing to anything just yet.

[Retropin]

Why couldn't they have done a pin like this with Rolling Stones?.. Oh yeh, that's right, 2015 KISS is based on a Bally game.
Stern going back to its roots?

Flame suit on Stern boys...

[Caveoftreasures]

It all looks great.

I don't think anything should come as standard because everyone can option up their machine the way they want to.

If u want something to look at, go the LE.

If u want something to play and save a packet on things that are just eye candy, buy a Pro and fully option it and still save heaps compared to buying the LE.

Play the Pro, play the LE on any Stern, it's about 10 percent difference.
I have experienced this on all the latest Stern titles.

I will get a fully optioned up Pro and be as happy as Larry.

Can't wait for these to hit Aussie homes.