Best The Sopranos Pinball Mods

The Sopranos is one of those Stern machines that deserves considerably more attention than it usually gets.

Designed by George Gomez, the 2005 machine has a fast, flowing layout with plenty of satisfying shots and a design philosophy that has some clear similarities to The Lord of the Rings. But it also has something many licensed machines never manage: the actual personality of the television show.

The machine features voices from several original cast members, including James Gandolfini, Dominic Chianese and Steven Van Zandt, which makes the whole experience feel remarkably authentic.

Bring the Artwork Further Into the Cabinet

The Sopranos already has a strong visual identity, but the inside cabinet walls leave plenty of room for more.

That's where WizBlades make such a difference.

The artwork extends around the playfield, giving the machine more depth and making the cabinet feel much more complete. Instead of staring at large areas of plain black, you're surrounded by artwork that fits the atmosphere of the show.

It's a particularly good match for a machine with such a distinctive visual style.

Add Some Attitude to the Flippers

WizBats are a smaller upgrade, but they're visible throughout every game.

They bring another piece of the artwork right into the centre of the action and work especially well alongside WizBlades. It's a subtle change, but one you'll notice every time you play.

For anyone discovering pinball mods for the first time, our Why WizBats Are One of the Best Pinball Mods article explains why such a small detail can have a surprisingly big impact.

Make the Apron Part of the Theme

The apron is another area where The Sopranos benefits from additional artwork.

Our magnetic WizAprons continue the visual identity below the playfield, turning an otherwise functional section into another part of the overall design.

It's the kind of modification that doesn't change the character of the machine — it simply makes the existing character more complete.

Give the Cabinet Some Sopranos Style

The coin door and the speaker panel are the most obvious isolated areas on the front of a pinball machine.

The Sopranos WizPanels completely change how the machine looks in the middle, whyle our WizDoors use a dramatic black-and-white halftone treatment that fits the visual language of the cabinet extremely well.

The effect is bold without being excessive, and it makes the coin door feel like part of the original cabinet artwork rather than a separate piece of hardware.

An Underrated George Gomez Game

The Sopranos is a great example of why George Gomez deserves so much attention as a designer.

The layout is fast and intuitive, with a fan-style arrangement that gives the game excellent flow. It isn't trying to overwhelm you with hundreds of different mechanisms — it simply gives you good shots and lets you enjoy playing them.

That's probably one reason it has remained something of a hidden gem.

We've included it in our Top 10 Most Underrated Modern Pinball Machines, and our George Gomez: The Designer Behind Some of Pinball's Greatest Hits article looks more closely at the designer behind The Sopranos and The Lord of the Rings.

A Machine That Deserves Another Look

The Sopranos doesn't need to pretend to be something it isn't.

It's a relatively straightforward, fast and extremely enjoyable pinball machine with an exceptional licence, authentic voices and a layout that simply works.

And that makes it a fantastic machine to customise.

WizBlades add depth, WizBats bring the artwork into the gameplay, WizAprons fill another visible area and the dramatic WizDoors give the front of the cabinet a completely different presence.

If you want to see everything available, explore the complete Sopranos Pinball Mods collection.