Hey Star Wars freaks, Tommy here, and I am geeking out over the newest arrival from Stern Pinball: Star Wars: Fall of the Empire. If you ever wanted to live out your X‑wing, Snowspeeder, Jedi knight fantasies and destroy stuff with flippers—this is your moment. Let me walk you through why this game is the Death Star of pinballs, and how you can snag the Limited Edition preorder over at Nitro Pinball before the Empire (or someone else) takes them all.
What is Star Wars: Fall of the Empire
This pinball machine isn’t just a tribute to the Original Trilogy—it is the Original Trilogy, mashed up with flippers, ramps, ramps that spiral, and insane sound & video immersion. Stern Pinball built this beast with their SPIKE 3 tech platform. That means: an 18.5‑inch full HD display, true color depth, upgraded processor, immersive audio system, better WiFi, wireless headphone capability. This is next‑level.
You’ve got three editions: Pro, Premium, and the super‑coveted Limited Edition (LE). LE is loaded: expression lighting, mirrored backglass, upgraded audio, anti‑reflection playfield glass, shaker motor, numbered plaque, certificate of authenticity, signed stuff, all the goodies you want when you tell friends “oh this? yeah I have the LE.”
What’s in the Game
If you’re a Star Wars nerd, read closely. Because this thing delivers:
- Take down the AT‑AT with your Snowspeeder’s tow cable, shoot the spiral ramp, watch it crash. Just like The Empire Strikes Back.
- Destroy the Death Star II during a Death Star Multiball event by lowering its shields. Return of the Jedi moment.
- Escape Cloud City by reactivating the Millennium Falcon’s hyperdrive—center jump ramp to hyperspace. Yeah.
- You’ll go through the Sarlacc Pit, fight stormtroopers, blast TIE fighters, even use the Force to save your ball. Special Darth Vader modes are in there too.
- Over 1,000 film & audio assets, iconic score (that music will melt your core), hand‑drawn artwork, and C‑3PO voice stuff from actor Chris Bartlett tying it all together.
Why This One Is Special
If you’ve played a bunch of Stern games, you know their quality. This one feels like Stern said: we’re going all in. The new tech, the visuals, the lighting, the LE extras—it’s not just for looks, it’s for that visceral Star Wars rush. When you hit the bumpers, the ramps, when you trigger a multiball or watch that AT‑AT take a hit—it’s moments. It’s storytelling with steel and mechanics.
The LE is limited to 770 units in the initial launch territories (US, Canada, Australia, NZ, Brazil, Mexico, Chile) to honor the original release in 1977. If you want bragging rights, better move fast.
Preorder: Your Mission
Okay so here’s how you get your hands on this galactic machine: Nitro Pinball is taking preorders for Star Wars: Fall of the Empire Limited Edition. Preorder it here:
Preorder the LE at Nitro Pinball
Why preorder? Because once those 770 LE units are gone, you’ll be chasing them like Solo chasing bounty hunters. Preordering locks yours down.
Who Should Get It
If you:
- love Star Wars (duh)
- love pinball machines that feel cinematic
- want something that’s both a centerpiece and a killer game night machine
- collect limited edition gear and want something that screams collector status
Then LE is your calling. If you’re more budget conscious, the Premium or Pro models will still get you 90‑95% of the experience (minus some of the exclusive LE bling). But if you can swing it, LE is the way to go.
Tommy’s Verdict
This is my favorite Stern release in a long time. It hits just the right notes. When the AT‑AT goes down, when that multiball starts, when Vader’s voice booms—you feel like you’re part of the saga. As cheesy as it sounds, this is what childhood dreams are made of. I’m stoked to bring this to the community, to fellow nerds, to anyone who’s ever looked up at the stars and thought “yeah, I want to beat the Empire.”
May the Force be with your preorder. Don’t let it slip away. Get it, dominate the leaderboard, and tell Vader to shove it.
Tommy.
