TL;DRGomez's James Bond 007 divides reviewers: expert Bond fan loves rules/strategy, casual player dislikes sexualized art and difficult design.
Is @sternpinballinc's Bond 007 pinball machine a licensed license to thrill or a high-stakes miss? Join Pinball Pursuit as we break down, evaluate, and rate Stern Pinball's classic Sean Connery 007 adventure! Designed by industry legend George Gomez, this 2022 cornerstone title pulls from six classic 1960s film masterpieces (Dr. No, From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice, and Diamonds Are Forever). We're putting the game under the magnifying glass across our five core rating categories to help you decide if it belongs in our future home arcade. How do you rate Stern's James Bond 007 across these 5 categories, and do you prefer playing the Pro or the Premium model on location? Let us know your review and scores in the comments below! 📊 HOW WE RATE IT: THE PINBALL PURSUIT REVIEW CRITERIA On Pinball Pursuit, Cameron and JayneAnn score every pinball machine across five core categories to give you the ultimate buyer’s guide for a home arcade or location play. Here is what we look for: 1. THEME INTEGRATION: How well does the machine bring the IP to life? We evaluate assets, animations, custom callouts, and how immersive the overall universe feels while playing. 2. THE LOOK & ARTWORK: From the cabinet art and backglass/translight design to the playfield plastics and toy sculpts. We look at the visual package. 3. THE SOUND DESIGN: Pinball is an audio experience. We rate the music tracks, sound effects clarity, callouts, and how satisfying the audio cues are during critical game modes and jackpots. 4. PLAYFIELD DESIGN & FEEL: The physical engineering. We break down the ball flow, kinetic feel, shot geometry, and mechanics designed by industry icons. 5. THE RULES & PLAYABILITY: Is the code deep enough for a home collection but approachable for casual players? We rate the rules sheet complexity, wizard modes, multiballs, stacks, and overall fun factor. Connect with us on Instagram: