The science-fiction horror series Stranger Things has easily become Netflix's most popular show, so of course this has led to a ton of merchandise. There are Funko Pops, action figures, comics, tie-ins with Dead by Daylight and Dungeons & Dragons, and now a pinball machine.
Stern Pinball unveiled a trailer earlier today for a Pro pinball machine based on Stranger Things, complete with pop-up Demogorgon. While Netflix has previously announced its intentions to adapt its shows into video games, this could be its first pinball machine adaptation.
The pinball machine's story seems to be based on the first and second season, given the artwork on the machine and the fact that Hawkins Lab is still running their secret experiments. Along with the Pro pinball machine, Stern pinball has also released a trailer for a Premium model. If pinball fans like their machines to have projection mapping tech, then they'll have to pay extra for either the Premium or Limited Edition model. The Pro model still has plenty to offer, though, including Chapter Mode challenges, a Telekinesis Mulitball bonus, and "Battle the Demogorgon," a mode in which the Demogorgon emerges from behind Hawkins Lab and must be defeated.
The Premium model features all the same game modes, but has a few key differences. The artwork adorning the machine is more heavily based on the second season, featuring a curly-haired Eleven, Steve with his baseball bat, and the Mind Flayer. The Multiballs are now held in place by magnets instead of plastic pegs and the picture of Hawkins Lab has been replaced by a digital screen showing clips from the show, as well as alerts for when players have been taken to the Upside Down. Stern has called it the first "Mixed Reality" pinball machine, implying that players could also hit any monsters that pop up on the digital screen.
As was mentioned earlier, this is far from Stranger Things' first foray into games. There is also a Stranger Things-themed Dungeons & Dragons starter kit that was released earlier this year. It includes a campaign--"The Hunt for the Thessalhydra"--based on the one the kids played at the beginning of the first episode and two Demogorgon minifigs. There have been two mobile games based on the show, with a third one currently being developed by Next Games, as well as a crossover event with Fortnite and an expansion for Dead by Daylight.
Probably the most noteworthy game, though, was the one that was never released. Before being shut down, Telltale Games announced its plans to develop an episodic adventure game based on Stranger Things. Following the demise of Telltale Games, the fate of the game stayed in limbo. Devolver Digital offered to make the Stranger Things game for Netflix back in October 2018, but it seems that venture has gone nowhere.
Source: Stern Pinball/YouTube