SDTM Episode 74: The Lord of the Rings Pinball Machine Review

Greg and Zach take a trip to Middle Earth to review Stern Pinball’s The Lord of the Rings machine.

[@turbografx7]

LOVE this game!! I have mine right next to my TSPP. I love Keefers rules. Both games are keepers for me! There is just something about his games that feels like a journey. For the price of pins, Keefer gives you your money's worth!

[@gregc3343]

Sad to think we've been calling for this to be vaulted for so long. I'll put a deposit down day one if they ever announce a vault for this.

[@hollywoodpolo9872]

You guys have great chemistry! Thank you for the great review!

[@PinStadium_pinball_mods]

The old LOTR has a lot of history boys!! Great review and first rate coverage. Keep taking live calls when you film, that part was hilarious!!

[@SDTM]

Pin Stadium absolutely. We love this pin and all pinball enthusiasts should own it at one point.

[@skippychurch2965]

I predict this game will be in your collection for at LEAST two weeks

[@iamthebeatmaster]

imho, LOTR is one of the best outhere, if not the best. best integration, best rules (still blows most of todays game out of the water). other than the artwork it's a masterpiece, sold mine and regret it.

[@mancavemoviemadness7464]

Great video guys, thanks! We have a life-size Gollum statue downstairs, and I talk to it in my Gollum voice often. This pin is packed with goodies and cool shots.

[@SDTM]

Mancave Movie Madness damn you have all the cool toys! Me wants it! Give me it! Me wants my preciouuuussssss!

[@beenflying1]

I fitted small fans to my LOTR LE flipper coils to help keep the cooler.

[@Sixxin6]

Great review. That was a "glass over a world" introduction with the music--makes me want to watch the movie again. I want to see a TSPP review too! Deep games provide for a really rich discussion between you two. Keep it up! #artmatters

[@SDTM]

Sixxin6 very nice of you to say thank you so very much! TSPP review is coming

[@saysold1]

I ❤my original NIB LOTR. Great review. Thank you

[@bd_phdx]

The Southern Indiana crack cut me deep to the core. Great review.

[@pinbot76]

Zach, thanks for respecting your audience enough not to inject politics and ruin something else that should be an escape. Great show as always!

[@AndyHugRetro]

Great as ever chaps. I have a LOTR on loan at present. I dig it although not quite as much as you guys, cool game though

[@w0mblemania]

Great review, guys.

[@FloydMaxwell]

I'm 4 minutes in...what a magical introduction, great editing...you guys are going up up up. Next review: Spin Out

[@FloydMaxwell]

Cool ending as well. Best non-outtake outtake ever?

[@SDTM]

Floyd Maxwell ha ha thank you man! All the editing credit goes to Zach! He’s getting good!

[@DoktorRossie]

so after your love for Star Wars in Ep 66, Will you change the score to represent this? as greg has it on the very bottom of the list. On a different topic; heard JJP's POTC is being shipped out, looking forward to getting my first pin!

[@rickwhitescarver8526]

SDTM, how would you feel about the art of a potential vault if they kept it the same but made it more vibrant?

[@SDTM]

Rick Whitescarver I’m not crazy about the composition and layout of the art but beggars can’t be choosers I suppose. It’s an epic film and deserves epic art

[@SDTM]

I’d still say it needs work but would be a lot happier for sure with the vibrant work(Greg)

[@mcnillerandsons7906]

Have any of these that you’d trade for Rick and Morty?

[@zionengine]

There ARE seven Gifts of the Elves. The playfield art is cluttered because all the words and inserts don't leave much real estate. To reach Valinor: start all six modes, start There and Back Again, collect all seven Elf gifts, and complete Super Jackpot in all three multiballs. Destroy the ring *AFTER* all those other goals, and Valinor will start.

[@timhorst4095]

Do you have to drain to light KEEP or can you use flippers to change what letters are lit.

[@SDTM]

Tim Horst you can manually switch lit lanes using the flipper buttons. So any time it comes from a ramp you should make sure in the inlane KEEP letter is unlit

[@dwsushiloverminecraft7676]

Is this the 2003 pro lotr

[@p_old7101]

So you're doing a website with all these report cards? Oh boy I can't wait!

[@Dexilight]

@Straight Down The Middle: a pinball show - why are you so behind your ios podcast uploads of your show? its at 68 :(

[@TiltingT]

See you guys at expo

[@DJDonkeytron]

Well it's about time! How about Star Trek or ACDC next?

[@SDTM]

DJDonkeytron haha thanks. SW has been done already but we may revisit it. Anyone wanna see a review of ACDC?

[@Badcaller111]

If u do ive got a nicely modded pro vault edition, but im guessing the viewers would rather see a review on my whitewater.

[@rask4p]

I love this machine and honestly don't think I'll ever sell mine, but I totally agree about the art. Where I have to disagree is the shots! I get that the right ramp is jankie (tho backhandable), BUT the way that code moves you to every little inch of the play field finds so many cool flow shots. Once you dial in on the right ramp modes like Gandalf vs. Saurman and Witch-King feel fantastic and that arguably is the part of the game most hindered by the layout. The other point I'll make is that the layout is unique in all the best ways. It does have some weirdness, but the diverters on Gandalf and Pippen/Merry almost make this game play like it has 9 unique shots and each one plays into unique uses in modes.

[@stevewright1539]

Love/Hate relationship with this game. So much to love but also exhausting. Loooooong ball times that left me too drained to want that “one more game”. Clunky at times but also great shots.

[@rask4p]

I agree with long ball times being a problem. It so hard to enjoy a long ball time pin with multiple people! I set my LOTR up pretty hard and I think that's actually ideal unless you're looking to get to Valinor. Wide outlanes and make the rejects off the center ramp take a pretty serious move to save and the game punishes enough for missing that ball times become reasonable.

[@adams2]

I got a storage unit find LOTR back in June. 216 balls played. Original code. Everything looked great EXCEPT the color of the playfield. It was in original condition, but it looks awful. Greg is a Hobbit because he doesn't want to leave home. Zach is a dwarf because he's a greedy, bearded, miner. JK ILU. See you dudes at Expo!

[@SDTM]

Adam Streeter yeah Greg may be a hairy little love child between a dwarf and hobbit. I on the other hand much has gotten my elvish mothers good looks because dwarf is something I am not. I’d like to think I’m the love child of an elf and wizard, smart, dashing, with a hint of cynicism

[@adams2]

You're definitely Zachary the WHITE. ;)

[@SDTM]

Adam Streeter hahahahaha yeah I set you up there damn it. Nicely done

[@pinfarmer]

I kick myself I didn't get an LE when it came out. I STILL haven't owned this game.

[@FloydMaxwell]

Art: A+. Immaculate design, balance and harmony. Frankly, no other machine comes close. Shots & Layout: B-. Some shots not shootable. Have to drain to light KEEP. Mode start shot is often undoable on some machines. Rules & Code: C+. Not at all clear how to play the game. Compared to ST:TNG or Demo Man? No comparison. You would have to own this game for a year to understand it. Or invest a lot of non-playing hours researching it. No thank you. Toys & Innovation: A. They are everywhere (noting this is a 2003 game). What's not to like? Ok, Path of the Dead could be improved.... Music & Call Outs: C+. Call outs could have been great but are too repetitive. Music almost non-existent unless you conquer some portion of the game, or while the game sits idle. Theme: A. Up there with ST:TNG and GoT. Enjoyability: B-. This is where the game disappoints -- easy to get a very low score; shots too repetitive; Path of the Dead puts me to sleep, every mode feels the same, repetitive call outs. Cumulative Grade: A-. Misses: Game should have been a wide body. Combine that with removal of Path of the Dead and so much more could have been possible.

[@DJDonkeytron]

Floyd Maxwell rules and code a C+ ?? What are you smoking? One of the best rule sets in all of pinball! Same goes for the music and call outs. Also best use of DMD since Theatre of magic! SMH

[@FloydMaxwell]

One of the keys to great rules and code is simplicity. Nothing simple about LotR code. Compare LotR with GoT -- in GoT you choose a house, and already know what to go for. Qualify a new house and you know. See a flashing red arrow and you know. Want to lock? Lock is lit, shoot the middle, done.

[@DJDonkeytron]

Floyd Maxwell Sorry but GOT rules are the opposite of simple, bad example. (AND I'm watching Chuck wurts tutorials on GOT as well)

[@FloydMaxwell]

@DJD - Good pinball design involves two conflicting needs -- (1) ease of entry/smooth learning curve and (2) deep rich ruleset. Game of Thrones has a superb ruleset -- wide and deep. It is ten games in one...but you can start with Martell. I'll bet 95% of the public that play LotR have no idea what they are trying to accomplish. And yes I have also watched and enjoyed Chuck's exhaustive review of GoT -- a game that will bring more game play value to an owner than any other game on the market.

[@DJDonkeytron]

Floyd Maxwell I replied to u saying that GOT had more simple rules, which it does not. Change the subject however u like 😂😂😂

[@touchingevil2302]

Jersey Jack must do Lord of the rings so my The Hobbit gets a friend. I know people hate that ide, but why ?

[@reeseexplains8935]

Lord of the rings pin > hobbit pin

[@Joeshorts]

start at 1:57 to get past all the BS

[@SDTM]

Joe crawford well that’s not very nice

[@SDTM]

Joe crawford hey you don’t like our intro either?!?! Haha

[@jambay4785]

like the look but other than theme not liking it.

[@Srt8Adam]

Zach’s not white he’s clear

[@SDTM]

Adam 🤗

[@quuhod]

Greg's teeth are strangely short, dentures?

[@SDTM]

Quuhod nope just tiny teeth and big gums!

[@quuhod]

Nothing wrong with tiny teeth, he should be proud!

[@supersnappahead]

My money is on Zach being a republican.

[@SDTM]

supersnappahead haha please elaborate

[@supersnappahead]

LOL, it's just a hunch really. Love the show guys. I've yet to find a LOTR around here, but I'm hoping the Gameroom Expo in Nashville will change that.

[@SDTM]

supersnappahead hey make sure to say hello when you’re down there. Greg and I will be there

[@supersnappahead]

Absolutely! I got into pinball really big this year, so this will be my first pinball show. Can't wait. Will you have a table set up or just be there attending?

[@SDTM]

supersnappahead we will be hanging out at the Flip N Out and Marco booths