Stern Pinball Arcade

About

"Stern Pinball Arcade" offers a 3D arcade experience with over 10 pinball tables, including Star Trek and Mustang, available as DLC. The game accurately emulates real-world pinball machines and includes detailed table instructions, leaderboards, and regular DLC releases. Engage in the Stern Challenge to hit target scores on each table and compete with other players.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

+18

38%

Audience ScoreBased on 234 reviews

graphics11 positive mentions

stability26 negative mentions

Great for having fun among friends!
Some tables provide a nostalgic experience and are enjoyable to play.
The game offers access to previously purchased tables from Pinball Arcade for free.

The game is plagued with bugs and has a poor user interface.
Many tables are not available for purchase, and some features are missing.
The ball physics feel off, making gameplay frustrating and unresponsive.

graphics
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
24%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many users describing them as dated, low-resolution, and occasionally glitchy, particularly in the user interface. While some appreciate the classic pinball aesthetic, others find the visuals lacking compared to competitors like Pinball FX3, which offers more polished and vibrant graphics. Overall, the game's graphics are seen as functional but in need of significant improvement to match modern standards.
- “They have amazing graphics.”
- “Great visuals if you enjoy the classic pinball table look.”
- “The graphics are now similar to the high-end consoles and the game is fully playable.”
- “The graphics are subpar, everything is very slow moving, and there are a ton of glitches in the menu.”
- “First: terrible low-resolution graphics (looks like made before the year 1990).”
- “Graphics are about 640x480 resolution - looks awful on a HD 1920 x 1080 screen.”
stability
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with numerous reports of serious glitches, slow performance, and a poorly designed user interface. Many players describe it as a "buggy mess" that feels unfinished, with issues affecting gameplay and overall experience. While some find the core game enjoyable, the overwhelming consensus is that it requires significant optimization and fixes before it can be considered stable.
- “The gameplay here is pretty much the same, but the game menus are buggy and inferior.”
- “Buggy, extremely lacking in options and UI, very slow and sluggish at least on my computer no matter the settings.”
- “This is a buggy, stuttery mess and the fact that you cannot buy any DLC currently may almost be a blessing in disguise for the developers, as they at least won't be overwhelmed with demands for refunds.”
music
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
44%
19%
The music in the game is highly praised for its quality and integration, with standout tracks from iconic bands like AC/DC and immersive soundscapes that enhance gameplay. Players appreciate the depth and variety of the soundtracks, particularly in tables like Star Trek and Mustang, which feature engaging audio effects and options for customization. However, some users have experienced technical issues, such as black screens accompanied by music, which detracts from the overall experience.
- “Both modern Steve Ritchie designs have amazing depth and are highly playable, with flashing shots clearly indicating what to hit next as well as very crisp and powerful audio - AC/DC with the booming sound effects and thumping hard rock (I'm not even into hard rock but ever since the Guns N' Roses table, it's my favorite theme for pinball!), Star Trek with a dramatic soundtrack and satisfying jingles.”
- “Mustang, despite looking quite garish, is actually a very nice, deep table with a ton of fun modes and a nice soundtrack-picking option, so that's a great freebie!”
- “The AC/DC table is great to play, despite having to listen to AC/DC music.”
- “All I can really say is that I can't wait to get into this game, since at the moment I want to play the tables and buy them all, but all I can see is a black screen with loud music.”
- “After installing, the game opens in a window half outside my screen and I can only hear music; the screen stays black, and I can only close it with the task manager.”
- “When I choose fullscreen, same thing happens: black screen with only music. This time I cannot even close it; I have to log off Windows to be able to get back to anything!”
gameplay
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The gameplay experience is mixed, with some users praising the arcade-perfect simulation of pinball machines and the engaging design of specific tables like Star Trek, while others report significant issues such as inconsistent ball physics, low framerate, and clunky menus. Overall, the game offers beautiful visuals and solid gameplay for some tables, but technical problems and bugs detract from the experience for others.
- “Beautiful to look at, gameplay is very good.”
- “After playing a little with Mustang, which I honestly find a bit simple and boring, I decided to go ahead and spend 20 bucks for the pack which contains Star Trek, and omg what a wonderful table. It is worth all the wait and money; it is probably the best table I've ever played. It has such intense gameplay, sounds, music, effects, very easy to understand, easy to start the missions, and the missions don't end when I miss a ball. It reminds me a little bit of Attack from Mars, and it has lots of features; actually, it has 800 pages of instructions.”
- “I know many people are angry about this game because they've already invested a lot of money in the other one and are leaving a lot of negative reviews, but the review should be about gameplay, and this is a straight-up solid pinball simulation.”
- “Low framerate and slow gameplay on a GTX 1050 Ti with a Core i7 running at 1080p.”
- “Gameplay is very odd; I had significant floating left to right and random ball speed changes along the vertical. Sometimes a slow ball would speed up while zipping up ramps, and other times it would roll back. Paddle hits were inconsistent, and bumpers seemed to randomly react to ball hits.”
- “Black screen, crashes, horrible gameplay feeling, awkward menu, bad sound, ugly graphics.”
story
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
50%
17%
The story aspect of the game is highlighted through the engaging and immersive gameplay of the Star Trek table, which features intense missions and a rich array of effects and sounds. Players appreciate the ease of understanding and accessibility of the missions, making it a standout experience compared to other tables like Mustang, which is perceived as simpler and less exciting. Overall, the narrative experience is enhanced by the table's intricate design and features, contributing to its status as a favorite among players.
- “After playing a little with Mustang, which I honestly find a bit simple and boring, I decided to go ahead and spend 20 bucks for the pack that contains Star Trek. Oh my god, what a wonderful table! It is worth all the wait and money; it is probably the best table I've ever played. It has such intense gameplay, sounds, music, and effects. It's very easy to understand and start the missions, and the missions don't end when I miss a ball. It reminds me a little bit of Attack from Mars, and it has lots of features—actually, it has 800 pages of instructions.”
- “The shot flow is incredible, and the use of multi-color LEDs for the missions is brilliant.”
- “Getting to them through buggy software and atrocious menu design choices is an entirely other story.”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
20%
60%
The optimization of the game has received significant criticism, with users reporting issues such as input lag, stuttering, and a persistent bug that affects resolution settings. While some players have experienced fewer crashes, the overall performance remains subpar, making the game unplayable for many, particularly when using a keyboard. Overall, there is a strong call for improvements to the game's optimization before players are willing to invest further.
- “I'm apparently one of the lucky few users who hasn't had that many problems with crashes or performance (i7 [email protected], 980ti, 16gb), but still, I think Farsight should be able to fix the many-years-old bug causing the game to start in a kind of windowed/fullscreen mode where the user has to press Alt+Enter twice to get it to run in the chosen resolution.”
- “Another complaint that I've seen has to do with input lag and stuttering.”
- “3rd, even outside of the UI, the whole performance of the actual table is just plain terrible (even on my 980 ti).”
- “Buggy as hell, not playable with a keyboard; not going to bother with this until it's optimized properly.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
200%
300%
Players indicate that grinding in the game can be quite demanding, often requiring significant time investment or multiple attempts to progress effectively.
- “Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
- “The grind is satisfying and offers a real sense of progression.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
- “I spent hours grinding, and it felt like I made no progress.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The monetization strategy of the game is widely criticized as a cash grab, indicating that players feel it prioritizes profit over player experience.
- “This is a cash grab.”
- “The monetization system feels exploitative and unfair.”
- “I can't enjoy the game without being constantly bombarded by ads and in-game purchases.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in Mustang is highlighted by its entertaining jackpot callouts, complemented by engaging music and sound effects, which contribute to an overall fun experience.
- “Mustang is fun as well with good music, funny jackpot callouts, and great sounds and voice acting.”