Best Metallica Pinball Mods

Released by Stern in 2013, Metallica quickly became one of the most successful music-themed pinball machines of the modern era.

Designed by John Borg, the machine combines Metallica's music with an incredibly fast and aggressive layout, creating a game that feels perfectly matched to the band's style. With iconic songs, monsters, dark artwork and plenty of mechanical action, it was never going to be a machine that needed much help standing out.

But there are some areas where the right custom artwork can make it even better.

Here are some of our favourite Metallica pinball mods.

Metallica WizBlades

If we had to choose one place to start, it would be the WizBlades.

The original Metallica already has an unmistakable colour palette, with dark artwork contrasted by the strong blue elements of the machine. Our WizBlades extend that visual world inside the cabinet with artwork featuring flames and colours that work beautifully with the original design.

The effect is particularly impressive while the machine is running. Instead of looking into a plain cabinet around the playfield, you get another layer of Metallica artwork surrounding the game.

It is a relatively simple modification, but visually it makes a surprisingly big difference.

Metallica WizPanels

The speaker panel is another major opportunity to add more artwork.

We have WizPanels for the Metallica Pro and standard Premium, designed to bring more of the band's visual identity into the backbox area.

There is also a dedicated version for the Premium Road Case, as well as a special design for the Master of Puppets Limited Edition.

That matters because these machines have different visual identities, and the artwork should feel like it belongs to the specific edition rather than being a generic Metallica design.

The WizPanels help connect the speaker area with the rest of the machine, making the entire cabinet feel more cohesive.

Metallica WizAprons

The apron is another area where a relatively small addition can have a big visual effect.

We have Metallica WizAprons for both the Pro, Premium and LE models, adding another piece of themed artwork directly below the playfield.

Because the apron sits directly in front of the player, it is visible throughout every game. It also works particularly well when combined with WizBlades and WizPanels, creating a much more complete visual theme from the inside of the cabinet all the way to the front of the machine.

Metallica WizBats

WizBats are one of those small details that you start noticing once you have them installed.

The flippers are constantly in front of you, so adding Metallica artwork to the tops gives the playfield another themed element right where the action is happening.

They are also a great finishing touch for owners who don't necessarily want to make a huge number of changes to the machine.

A set of WizBats can add that extra bit of personality without changing the original character of the game.

Metallica WizDoors

The coin door is often one of the last areas people think about when customising a pinball machine.

But once you have added artwork elsewhere, the original coin door can suddenly stand out as a relatively plain area.

Metallica WizDoors solve that problem by bringing the theme onto the front of the cabinet.

And because Wizard Mod has designs for the Pro, Premium, Premium Road Case and Master of Puppets LE, you can choose artwork that matches the specific version of Metallica you own.

It's a small area, but it helps complete the overall look.

A Machine Built for Customisation

One of the reasons Metallica works so well with custom mods is that the original machine already has such a strong identity.

The music is aggressive.

The artwork is dark.

The playfield is packed with action.

And John Borg's layout keeps everything moving.

If you'd like to learn more about the designer behind the machine, our John Borg Pinball Machines Ranked article takes a closer look at his career and some of his most important games.

For Metallica owners, the easiest way to start is with the Metallica Pinball Mods collection. You can build the machine gradually, starting with WizBlades or WizPanels and adding WizAprons, WizBats and WizDoors whenever you want to take the customisation further.

What About Metallica Remastered?

And of course, Metallica has now returned in Metallica Remastered, giving John Borg's legendary design a new life with updated hardware, artwork and software.

The gameplay remains rooted in the original, but the new machine has its own visual identity and its own range of customisation options.

If you have the new version, take a look at our Metallica Remastered Pinball Mods.

For owners of the original 2013 machine, however, the classic Metallica still has a look and personality all of its own — and the right mods can make it even more impressive.