Despite the death of arcades, there’s apparently still enough of a demand for pinball machines for Stern to keep churning out new table designs. The company’s latest design takes inspiration from Star Wars: The Mandalorian and includes a Baby Yoda trapped inside who can use the Force to manipulate the ball’s trajectory.
At CES a couple of years ago, Stern revealed a flashy new pinball machine inspired by Stranger Things that incorporated a new gameplay element using electromagnets to make it appear as if the series’ Eleven character was using her telekinetic powers to grab and hold onto several balls before releasing them all at once. For its new Star Wars: The Mandalorian table, Stern is using a similar trick but this time it’s an electromagnet that simulates a miniature version of Grogu using the Force to redirect the path of an incoming ball.
Three versions of The Mandalorian pinball machine will be available: Pro, Premium, and Limited Edition options, but all include the Force-wielding Grogu, a miniature version of the Razor Crest ship, audio and video clips from both seasons playing on the marquee, custom voice clips recorded by Carl Weathers as Greef Karga specifically for the table, the series’ theme song, and artwork by comic book artist Randy Martinez.
The Premium and Limited Edition versions of the table add a motorised miniature playfield in the upper corner featuring two flippers and six light-up targets, but the Limited Edition option, of which only 750 are being manufactured, goes one step further with mirrored backglass designed to look like Beskar armour, custom artwork on the cabinet, an upgraded sound system, and anti-reflection glass covering the playfield.
The new Mandalorian table is available now through Stern’s distributor and dealer network, but you’re going to need to collect a few real-life bounties to afford one. The basic Pro version of the pinball machine costs $US6,199 ($7,883), while the Premium and Limited Edition models will sell for $US7,799 ($9,918) and $US9,199 ($11,698), respectively.