Stern Top 10 Pinball Machines of All Time

The Greatest Stern Pinball Machines Ever Made

Ranking the greatest Stern pinball machines is never easy.

Every collector has a different favourite, and every era has produced unforgettable games. Some players love fast, flowing layouts, while others prefer deep rule sets or spectacular mechanical toys.

Still, a handful of machines appear again and again whenever collectors discuss the very best Stern has ever produced.

Here's our Top 10.

1. Godzilla

Keith Elwin's masterpiece sits comfortably at the top of many collectors' lists. Incredible flow, deep rules, unforgettable toys and outstanding replay value make it one of the greatest pinball machines ever built.

If you'd like to personalise Stern's number one monster, explore our Best Godzilla Pinball Mods article.

2. Jaws

Another Keith Elwin masterpiece. Jaws perfectly captures the atmosphere of Spielberg's classic while delivering fast gameplay and one of Stern's strongest modern rule sets.

3. Jurassic Park

Fast, challenging and endlessly rewarding. Jurassic Park announced Keith Elwin as one of the greatest designers of the modern era.

4. Iron Maiden: Legacy of the Beast

Elwin's first machine immediately became a modern classic thanks to its flowing layout, incredible music integration and tournament-friendly gameplay.

5. Metallica Remastered

The remastered version takes one of Stern's greatest music machines and improves it even further with updated artwork, modern code and new features while preserving everything players loved about the original.

6. Elvira's House of Horrors

Dennis Nordman's horror masterpiece combines humour, beautiful artwork and outstanding gameplay into one of Stern's most unique modern machines.

7. The Lord of the Rings

Designed by Steve Ritchie, The Lord of the Rings remains one of the deepest and most satisfying licensed machines ever produced. Even more than twenty years later, many collectors still consider it one of Stern's greatest achievements.

8. King Kong: Myth of Terror Island

Although it's one of Stern's newest releases, King Kong has already earned a place among the company's greatest machines. Keith Elwin once again delivers an exceptional layout packed with memorable moments.

9. Deadpool

George Gomez created one of Stern's most approachable modern games. Fast, funny and packed with personality, Deadpool appeals equally to casual players and competitive enthusiasts.

10. Star Trek

Steve Ritchie's legendary flow is on full display here. Star Trek remains one of Stern's smoothest shooting machines and continues to be a favourite among players who love speed and combo-heavy gameplay.

Honorable Mentions

Some machines narrowly missed our Top 10 but deserve recognition.

James Bond 007 offers George Gomez's signature flow alongside one of cinema's most iconic licences.

Foo Fighters proved that Jack Danger is one of the most exciting modern designers, bringing fresh ideas and an incredibly original layout.

And Dungeons & Dragons: The Tyrant's Eye has already impressed collectors with its deep rules, beautiful artwork and immersive gameplay, making it a strong candidate to climb this list in the years ahead.

To discover more about the designers behind many of these machines, take a look at our Legendary Pinball Designers series.

Will This List Change?

Absolutely.

Pinball never stands still.

Every new Stern release has the potential to become the next modern classic, and that's one of the reasons this hobby remains so exciting.

Whether your favourite is Godzilla, The Lord of the Rings, Deadpool or another Stern masterpiece entirely, one thing is certain: Stern has produced some of the greatest pinball machines ever made.

We will wait and see when Pokémon enters this list. In the meantime, you can check our article about the differences between the Pro, Premium and LE.