59 replies to this topic

[UncleReamus]

STERN AVATAR ANNOUNCEMENT

In Avatar pinball, you as player are the hero Jake Sully. Capture the
pinball in the transporter link, a case that reveals a Jake figurine,
and transform yourself into his Avatar. Then, after a series of
challenges, get past the motorized up/down target bank protecting
Colonel Quaritch and fight the Colonel in his AMP Suit, aiming your
pinball at him. As you overtake the Colonel, his AMP Suit crashes to
the ground and you save the Na'vi people from total destruction. Avatar
pinball also features a twisting ramp, the magnet for random ball play,
and lots of multi-ball action.

Avatar pinball has lots of great sound, including speech and sound
effects from the movie as well as original voice over by actor Stephen
Lang, who plays Colonel Quaritch in the movie.

We know it wont be Steve Ritchie's design - heard it directly from his mouth... The description sounds like a mix of Dark Knight and Iron Man to me. Should be interesting to see what this game looks like.

[Pinbotic]

Isn't this just a little bit too late? If it were released back when the movie were popular, it would have made sense. This is one reason I hate these licensed tables, it places a date on the table and makes them feel "aged" after only months after release.

[UncleReamus]

I guess Avatar is going to be re-released in 3D theaters around the same time as the pin ships - plus Stern can re-run the game when Avatar 2 hits theaters.

On a side note, I would rather have seen Tron.

[The Trout]

On a side note, I would rather have seen Tron.

This. I thought Avatar blew goats. Still, this is a smart license to pick up, and should be pretty evergreen. There's gotta be a sequel in the pipeline to the film, so the machine should stay relevant for a few years.

[destruk]

Whoever wrote that should take some remedial courses. You as player? huh? There are more grammar mistakes which makes me think this is a hoax. That and their announcement keeps magically disappearing and getting reposted. Oh yeah, as far as a sequel to Avatar, it took them 10 years to make the first movie, so expect another ten years before a sequel is done. By that time do you think anyone will remember the first one?

It was posted by Jody - I'm fairly sure she is 16 years old and this is her first job, so I'll cut her some slack.

Edited by destruk, 19 July 2010 - 07:25 PM.

[kruge99]

ugh, yet another mundane movie license turned into a pinball...

[bolt]

I had already guessed. Thanks for your info UncleReamus.

[Joe]

8 new minutes of never before seen film. = a $10 - $15 movie ticket then you have to add the $5 pop and $5 popcorn.

[matty sexy pants]

will you have to wear 3d glasses to play the pinball

[Harakiri]

If the Pinball table is as good as the movie itself i might have to refrain my opinion against Stern tables. I actually seen that move with 3D glasses and i swore to myself that it was the last time i would ever do it.

[kruge99]

Something just occurred to me... Here, Stern is starting to make pinball machines with fewer toys, and hoping to create engaging gameplay, akin to the machines that were made back in the late 70's and early 80's... and here we are all "jaded" to the point that we can't even imagine something really great happening, that the latest machine from Stern will be amazing.

I think we all know/realize that pinball's biggest era was the 70's and perhaps Stern is using his brain and using the pinball manufacturing "formula" from that day and age, trying to re-light the fire that will re-invigorate the world to appreciate pinball again... just maybe...


Best Regards,
Todd.

p.s. no, I did not hit my head this morning...

[Shockman]

At least the cheap uninspired photos will have an artistic element.

[wtiger]

Picture of the cabinet:

http://www.pinballne...atar/index.html

[matty sexy pants]

They probably shouldn't use Tinted glass.... I'm sorry i couldn't help myself

[Harakiri]

They probably shouldn't use Tinted glass.... I'm sorry i couldn't help myself

I have to agree with this gentleman here. The glass totally sucks and the graphics don't convince me either...

[kruge99]

They probably shouldn't use Tinted glass.... I'm sorry i couldn't help myself

I have to agree with this gentleman here. The glass totally sucks and the graphics don't convince me either...

Ya see, that's the whole gimmick! This pinball uses a transparent, LED display combined with a modified "inverted playfield. When it's powered on, and you have the requisite $350.00 set of 12VDC (car battery) powered enviro-suit with 3D visor, the pinball machine will be beautifully rendered in 3 dimensions. The LED display will "project" the vibrant colors and images of the Avatar universe onto the pinball playfield. The sensations created by the enviro-suit and 3D visor will immerse the players, bringing them "into" the game itself, inside your own Avatar!! Every time your pinball comes in contact with a playfield element, the enviro-suit will nudge YOU, the player, giving you the feed back! Won't that be amazing? I just haven't figured out how they are going to keep the ball on the inverted playfield yet...

[Harakiri]

They probably shouldn't use Tinted glass.... I'm sorry i couldn't help myself

I have to agree with this gentleman here. The glass totally sucks and the graphics don't convince me either...

Ya see, that's the whole gimmick! This pinball uses a transparent, LED display combined with a modified "inverted playfield. When it's powered on, and you have the requisite $350.00 set of 12VDC (car battery) powered enviro-suit with 3D visor, the pinball machine will be beautifully rendered in 3 dimensions. The LED display will "project" the vibrant colors and images of the Avatar universe onto the pinball playfield. The sensations created by the enviro-suit and 3D visor will immerse the players, bringing them "into" the game itself, inside your own Avatar!! Every time your pinball comes in contact with a playfield element, the enviro-suit will nudge YOU, the player, giving you the feed back! Won't that be amazing? I just haven't figured out how they are going to keep the ball on the inverted playfield yet...

Whatever drug you have taken, i will have double dosage!

[Gravy]

Stern seems to be very committed to licensed movie tie-ins. I wonder if they would do better if they were to go with original themes instead. Movie and TV series themes date very quickly in my view plus you have the downside of if the punter doesnt like the movie or series then they may not be interested in the game.

Pre 1980 most pinballs would have been theme based rather than licensed stuff, aside from a few tables here and there (evel knievel, six million dollar man, charlies angels, kiss etc).

[The Trout]

It's far easier to sell machines to people with known properties, which is why they're not just doing movie tie-ins, but movie tie-ins of huge hit films. I'd love original themes too, but they wouldn't sell nearly well enough to be worth it for Stern.

[rob046]

Avatar!
A pinball themed after a movie! Great idea!

Ugh. I really just don't care anymore. It looks like a big, playable movie poster.

Again, this would have been a great idea to release with the movie, but by now the hype has died down.
Way to take risks, Stern!
& not like releasing the pin with the movie would have even been a risk. Everybody knew the movie would be a guaranteed hit. Yet Stern still played it safe.