Stern’s Walking Dead Pinball Machine Rolls Again with New Remaster

Want a little blood with your pinball? Stern caps off a big year by reviving one of its most popular—and goriest—pinball machines of the 2010s. Today the company revealed The Walking Dead Remastered, a souped-up new run of the 2014 machine based on AMC’s hit TV show that Stern President and CEO Seth Davis calls “one of the most memorable and influential pinball games in our time.” The Walking Dead Remastered updates the original with Stern’s latest SPIKE 3 tech and Stern Insider connectivity, as well as a variety of other tweaks developed since this machine came out 11 years ago. 

This newly undead machine will reap the full benefits of Stern’s latest technology. The SPIKE 3 platform features a processor that’s been greatly revved up since the original machine, an upgraded hi-fi audio system, and, most notably, an 18.5” HD screen that will display new animated graphics, unlike the dot matrix display the first run shipped with. And the Stern Insider functionality means you’ll be able to track and share your scores online, and even unlock achievements like you’re playing some kind of video game or something. There’ll also be new audio lines (they call ‘em “call-outs” in pinball speak) from Michael Rooker and Danai Gurira, who played Merle and Michonne in the show. (Isn’t Merle in, like, three episodes? I dunno, I never watched past season one.)

Beneath all these upgrades to the presentation will be the same core game and ruleset that has made The Walking Dead one of Stern’s bigger recent hits. The main modes, called Dead Features, will still have missions based around local Atlanta landmarks like… a barn, and a tunnel, and the CDC. (Will they use the Cobb Energy Center as the stand-in for the CDC HQ, the way the show did?) There’s still three distinct multiballs: Prison, Well Walker, and the ever-popular Blood Bath. There will no doubt be some rule tweaks here and there, but the way Stern’s pitching it, you should be able to hop on this remastered machine and immediately know what to do if you’re well-versed in the original.

The Walking Dead Remastered will be limited to 500 units, and will only come in two models—Premium and Limited Edition—instead of Stern’s standard three. The LE model comes with Stern’s Expression Lightning System (note to self: add the little “™” superscript there) and the Speaker Expression Lightning System, which, yes, are two different things. There’s also a mirrored backglass, exclusive pinball armor, playfield glass that’s supposed to prevent reflection, and a few other bells and whistles. The Premium is priced at $9,699 and the Limited Edition will set you back $12,999, and they’re available now from Stern dealers.