Stern Pinball Transformers More than Meets the Eye Premium Pinball

Megatron's fusion cannon rotates on the playfield. It fires pinballs back at the player.

Overview

The Stern Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye Premium Pinball Machine is a four-player coin-operated pinball machine built around the original 1984 Transformers animated series, featuring a fully animatronic Megatron robot toy as its centerpiece mechanical feature. The Premium model includes Soundwave's locking cassette deck mechanism and custom-sculpted toys of Grimlock and Optimus Prime not found on the Pro model. Story-driven missions, authentic voice acting from Peter Cullen and Frank Welker, and Stern's Insider Connected platform combine physical pinball mechanics with a persistent online layer.

Key Features

Animatronic Megatron with Articulated Fusion Cannon

The Megatron figure mounted on the playfield is fully animatronic: its fusion cannon physically rotates and fires pinballs back toward the player during play. The moving cannon is visible from outside the machine and changes orientation in response to game events, making it the primary mechanical spectacle on the playfield.

Soundwave Cassette Deck Ball Lock

Soundwave's cassette deck mechanism physically captures and holds pinballs before releasing them back into play. The lock-and-launch sequence is a distinct mechanical stage that interrupts normal ball flow, staging multiball or high-intensity sequences from a locked position on the playfield.

Custom Sculpted Playfield Toys

Beyond the animatronic Megatron, the Premium playfield includes a custom sculpted Grimlock Dinobot toy and a custom sculpted Optimus Prime bash toy. The Optimus Prime figure functions as an interactive target. Both sculptures are original designs produced for this machine.

Stern Insider Connected Platform with Cyber Coin Wallet

Insider Connected is Stern's online community network, included with every new machine at no additional charge. Players tap a device to the machine to log in, track progress across any Insider Connected cabinet, earn achievements, and accumulate Cyber Coins — a wallet system introduced with this title that unlocks exclusive challenge modes. Owners receive firmware updates, new quests, and feature extensions through the platform over the life of the machine. Registration is available at insider.sternpinball.com or through the Insider Connected mobile app on iOS and Android.

Story-Driven Missions, Voice Cast, and Anniversary Content

Missions are drawn from story arcs in the original 1984 animated series and include authentic video clips integrated into gameplay. Call-outs are performed by Peter Cullen (Optimus Prime) and Frank Welker (Megatron and Soundwave). A dedicated mode commemorates the 40th anniversary of The Transformers: The Movie, featuring the song "The Touch" by Stan Bush and original music from Knights of Unicron.

Head-to-Head Simultaneous Play Mode

The machine introduces a head-to-head mode in which two players compete simultaneously in real time — a format new to this title within the Stern lineup. A "Prime Training" mode, guided by Autobot call-outs, steps players through pinball fundamentals, extending the machine's accessible range to less experienced players.

How It Plays

Players advance missions based on the original Transformers animated series — collecting Energon Cubes, teaming with the Dinobots, and working toward a final battle against Megatron — by directing the ball at mission-specific targets and ramps. When the Soundwave lock is active, the cassette deck physically captures the ball on the playfield before the release, a visible mechanical pause that signals a multiball or escalation sequence. From a distance, the animatronic Megatron cannon swiveling and launching a ball back across the playfield reads as a two-way exchange rather than a static target, which distinguishes the machine visually from standard pinball layouts.

Specifications

Why Operators Love It

Firmware Updates and Feature Extensions Over the Machine's Life

Insider Connected allows Stern to push firmware updates, new challenge quests, and feature additions to the machine after installation. This means the software running on the cabinet can be current without a service call or hardware swap — the update path is built into the platform.

Coin-Op and Free-Play Configurable from the Factory

The machine ships supporting both coin-operated and free-play modes. Operators can configure the payment mode to match the venue — paid arcade, FEC wristband environment, or mixed — without additional hardware.

Standard 120V Single-Phase Power

The cabinet runs on standard 120V power, the same supply found at virtually every commercial venue in North America. No dedicated circuit or phase conversion is required for installation.

27-Inch Width Fits Standard Pinball Floor Slots

At 27 inches wide, the cabinet occupies the same floor slot as most full-size Stern machines, allowing direct placement or swap into existing pinball rows without reconfiguring the floor plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes the Stern Transformers Premium different from the Pro model?

The Premium includes the fully animatronic Megatron robot with the articulated, firing fusion cannon, the Soundwave cassette deck ball lock mechanism, and custom sculpted Grimlock Dinobot and Optimus Prime toys. The Pro model does not include these Premium-exclusive mechanical and sculpted features.

How does Stern Insider Connected work on this machine?

Players tap a mobile device to the machine to log into their Insider Connected account, which tracks game progress, achievements, and the new Cyber Coin wallet across any enabled Stern cabinet. Registration is free at insider.sternpinball.com or through the Insider Connected mobile app on iOS and Android. For owners, the platform delivers firmware updates and new challenge quests to the machine over time.

How many players can use the Stern Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye at once?

The machine supports one to four players in standard alternating-turn play. It also includes a dedicated head-to-head mode in which two players compete simultaneously in real time — a format introduced for the first time in this Stern title.

What are the assembled dimensions and power requirements of the Transformers Premium?

The cabinet assembles to 27 inches wide, 55 inches deep, and 75.5 inches tall, and weighs 250 lbs. It runs on standard 120V power and does not require a dedicated circuit beyond a standard commercial outlet.

Ideal Placement

The Transformers Premium fits standard pinball rows at family entertainment centers, bowling center arcades, movie theater lobbies, and mall arcades where the 27-inch cabinet width matches existing floor allocations. Its licensed IP and 1984 animated series content also suit bar and tavern game rooms where the franchise's generational audience is well represented. At 75.5 inches tall, the cabinet clears standard 8-foot commercial ceilings with room to spare.

Shipping & Setup

We offer flexible freight delivery options, including curbside and lift-gate services. Shipping costs and timing are calculated at checkout based on your location and requirements.

Warranty & Support

Your purchase includes a standard manufacturer warranty and access to technical support to ensure long-term performance and uptime.

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