2003–2009 · Stern
Lord of the Rings
Known for Sword ramp, center Ring, Gollum's Cave and Palantir target. Black void backdrop, stone archway, green oval portal landscape and burning fiery sky.
- Years
- 2003–2009
- Maker
- Stern
- Type
- Solid state
- Display
- Dot matrix
- Players
- 4
Known for
- Ramp
Sword ramp
- Toy
center Ring
- Hole
Gollum's Cave
- Target
Palantir target
- tower
Barad-Dur
- tower
Orthanc
- Multiball
Two Towers Multiball
- Multiball
Gollum Multiball
2 games under this title
On the playfield
On the backglass
Who and what
- man Dark-haired bearded man in dark leather jerkin at left, holding a long sword upright in his right hand
- man Elderly wizard with very long white beard, tall drooping pointed grey hat and grey robes, left of centre
- child Young curly-haired boy in pale clothing, left of centre below the wizard
- man Small standing young man in a dark cloak with yellow/gold trim, lower left of centre
- woman Small standing woman in dark dress beside him, lower left of centre
- other Four horsemen in silhouette galloping across the lower left edge
Setting
- Black void backdrop
- Stone archway
- Green oval portal landscape
- Burning fiery sky
Text on it
- NEW LINE CINEMA
- STERN PINBALL, INC.
- THE LORD OF THE RINGS
How it plays
-
Modes 4
- Ring modes
- Attack of Shelob
- War of the Ents
- Gift 2x Scoring
-
Multiballs 4
- Two Towers Multiball
- Gollum Multiball
- Fellowship Multiball
- Return of the King
-
Goals 7
- KEEP
- Elf rings
- Rings of Men
- Elf Gifts
- Fellowship members
- There and Back Again
- Ring Super Jackpot
-
Wizard modes 2
- Destroy the Ring
- Valinor
Made by
- Design & Mechanics
- George Gomez
- Design & Software
- Keith P. Johnson
- Design & Sound & Music
- Chris Granner
- Art
- Jerry Vanderstelt
- Art
- Kevin O'Connor
- Art
- Margaret Hudson
- Mechanics
- Ray Tanzer
- Mechanics
- John Rotharmel
- Mechanics
- Jim Novy
- Mechanics
- Wesley Chang
- Software
- Dwight Sullivan
- Software
- Lonnie D. Ropp
- Display animation
- Mark Galvez
- Display animation
- Kurt Andersen
The cast
- Gollum
- Balrog
- Cave Troll
Reference
Linked terms
- Gollum's Cave also called Gollum shot
- Palantir target also called Palantir
- Orthanc also called Orthanc tower also called Orthanc VUK
- Return of the King also called King Multiballs
- Gift 2x Scoring also called 2x Scoring
- Ring Super Jackpot also called Super Jackpots
- Gollum also called Smeagol
Playfield vision analysis
Written by a machine from the photos, so details may be off.
Playfield Standard
- gold
- brown
- red
- green
Fingerprint: Lord of the Rings, two glowing hot-pink ramps flanking central gold medallion with brass-rimmed posts, mirrored portrait panels of elderly man and young woman at lower corners, enormous red-lit eye in gold bezel at top, cloaked figures above title, dark brown field, gold lettering
The most memorable feature is the two triangular plastic ramps sloping down towards the flippers on either side of a round gold medallion, lit from inside so they glow hot pink and orange, each ramp capped by a brass-coloured circular post. Second, the mirrored pair of portrait panels at the lower corners: an elderly white-bearded man at left and a young dark-haired woman at right, facing each other across the flippers. Third, the huge eye-like circular red lens at the very top of the field, ringed in gold, above a fan of red-orange lettering. Fourth, two cloaked, dark-haired figures standing together in a row above the central gold title.
Setting
- Dark painted woodland and mountain backdrop on the upper playfield
- Faded parchment-and-stone texture through the middle of the field
- Black cabinet with gold celtic knotwork side art
Symbols
- Circular gold medallion with radial runes
- Arched gold seal-ring of lettering
- Row of round gold-rimmed targets
- Triangular plastic ramps with pointed apexes
- Large circular red lens in a gold bezel
- Curved wire rails in the upper corners
- Carved knotwork scrollwork on the cabinet sides
Notable shapes
- Two mirror-image triangular ramps forming a wide v either side of the lower centre
- Large arched gold seal ring spanning the mid-field
- Round medallion with radiating spokes between the flippers
- Single circular gold-bezel lens at the top of the field
Art motifs
- Illuminated manuscript borders
- Gold leaf detailing
- Celtic interlace
- Battlement and tower silhouettes on the apron
Themes
- Fantasy
- Wizardry
- Forest
- Quest
- Mythic
Title on it
- Lord of the rings
Text on it
- LORD OF THE RINGS
- INSTRUCTIONS
- MODE OF THE RINGS
- GANDALF THE GREY
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Man | Elderly man with long white hair and a full white beard, three-quarter view, pale skin, wearing layered grey robes, portrait panel at lower left |
| Woman | Young woman with long straight dark hair, pale skin, bare shoulders, red-brown garment, portrait panel at lower right |
| Man | Dark-haired man in a dark cloak, head and shoulders visible, centre of the field above the title |
| Man | Second dark-haired cloaked figure immediately to the left of the first, centre of the field |
A fantasy-themed electro-mechanical playfield seen under a glass cover, photographed head-on in a dim room so the plastics and metal ramps glow with red, green and amber reflections. The layout is a classic single-level wide-body field: a large circular disc of gold-trimmed text spans the mid-upper playfield above a row of drop targets, with two wireform habitrail-style rails curving in from both upper corners. Two dark-haired human figures in cloaks stand side by side above the main title in the middle of the field. The title lettering reads LORD OF THE RINGS in gold-and-red serif capitals, and the same logo is repeated on the front of the cabinet. Lower down, a round gold-rimmed medallion sits between two yellow-bordered flippers, flanked by two triangular plastic ramps lit from beneath. The apron carries the LORD OF THE RINGS logo again, flanked by two rectangular instruction cards headed INSTRUCTIONS and MODE OF THE RINGS, with portrait panels of an elderly white-haired man at lower left and a dark-haired young woman at lower right. Dominant colours are gold, dark brown, red and green.
Backglass vision analysis
Written by a machine from the photos, so details may be off.
Backglass Standard
- black
- gold
- green
- orange
Fingerprint: Enormous burning orange ring with black eye-shaped void at centre above title like burning crown, tall drooping conical hat on white-bearded wizard, collage of roughly ten fantasy characters including four galloping horsemen in silhouette at bottom left and snarling grey creature at centre right, THE LORD OF THE RINGS in gold serif capitals
The single most memorable element is the enormous burning orange ring with a black eye-shaped void at its centre, sitting above the title like a burning crown. A tall, drooping conical hat on an enormous white-bearded wizard is the second recognisable silhouette. A collage of roughly ten separate fantasy characters crowds the frame, including four galloping horsemen in silhouette at the bottom left and a snarling, earless grey creature crouching at centre right. The title is in gold serif capitals with the eye-green oval portal immediately above the words OF THE.
Setting
- Black void backdrop
- Stone archway
- Green oval portal landscape
- Burning fiery sky
Symbols
- Glowing burning ring with eye-shaped void
- Green oval portal
- Swords
- Longbows and arrows
- Carved stone archway
- Gold circlet/crown
- Four galloping horses
Lettering
- Large gold serif capitals, mixed sizes, the set small above the l and of the stacked within the line, faint drop shadow
Themes
- Fantasy
- Wizard
- Sword and sorcery
- Ensemble cast
- Ring motif
Title on it
- The lord of the rings
Text on it
- NEW LINE CINEMA
- STERN PINBALL, INC.
- THE LORD OF THE RINGS
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Man | Dark-haired bearded man in dark leather jerkin at left, holding a long sword upright in his right hand |
| Man | Elderly wizard with very long white beard, tall drooping pointed grey hat and grey robes, left of centre |
| Child | Young curly-haired boy in pale clothing, left of centre below the wizard |
| Man | Small standing young man in a dark cloak with yellow/gold trim, lower left of centre |
| Woman | Small standing woman in dark dress beside him, lower left of centre |
| Other | Four horsemen in silhouette galloping across the lower left edge |
| Man | Dark-haired youth in heavy shadow, head and shoulders, centre |
| Man | Craggy aged face in a white hood and white robes, right of centre |
| Creature | Emaciated grey earless creature with long fingers crouching at centre right, snarling |
| Woman | Tall blonde woman with a gold circlet, in profile facing left, upper right |
| Woman | Blonde archer with long hair drawing a bow, right side |
| Man | Hooded bearded archer in a red-brown cloak aiming a bow, lower right |
A painted fantasy ensemble backglass on black. A large glowing orange-gold ring dominates the upper centre with a dark vertical eye-shaped void inside it, fiery orange plumes trailing right. Below sits an oval green-teal portal showing a dark landscape. The title THE LORD OF THE RINGS spans the lower third in gold serif capitals, small THE above the L, OF THE stacked in the middle, plus a TM mark. Left to right: a dark-haired bearded man in a leather jerkin holding a sword upright; an elderly white-bearded wizard in a tall drooping pointed grey hat and grey robes, with a carved stone archway behind him; a curly-haired boy in pale clothing; two small standing figures below (a cloaked young man with yellow trim, a woman in dark dress); four horsemen galloping in silhouette at lower left; a dark-haired youth head-and-shoulders in shadow at centre; a craggy aged face in a white hood; a crouching, emaciated earless grey creature with long fingers; a tall blonde crowned woman in profile; a blonde archer drawing a bow; a hooded bearded archer in a red-brown cloak aiming a bow at lower right. Black, gold, green and orange dominate.
Backglass LE
- gold
- black
- red
- blue-grey
Fingerprint: the lord of the rings - enormous flaming red eye bursting from fiery cloud at top center above young man's portrait in gold oval arch, white-bearded wizard in floppy pointed hat shoulder to shoulder with sword-holding dark-haired man, gaunt bald crouching creature on all fours to right, deep black sky with red firelight and gold Celtic-knot border
The most memorable feature is the enormous flaming red eye bursting from a fiery cloud at the top centre of the glass, directly above a young man's portrait framed in a gold oval arch. Second is the crowded left-hand group of a white-bearded wizard in a floppy pointed hat standing shoulder to shoulder with a sword-holding dark-haired man. Third is the gaunt, near-bald crouching creature on all fours to the right of centre, its long arms and bony ribs clearly drawn. Fourth is the deep black sky shot through with red firelight and crossed by a gold Celtic-knot border running the full width.
Setting
- Black night sky streaked with red firelight
- Burning fiery cloud at the top centre
- Snowy or ash-grey mountains
- Pale water with silhouetted mounted riders
- A sailing ship on the sea at the right
Symbols
- Giant flaming eye at the top centre
- Celtic knot border
- Circular dial/emblem at the top left
- Small rectangular logo box at bottom left
- Bow and arrow
- Ship
- Horse and rider
Lettering
- Very large gold serif capitals with a dark outline; 'of the' set much smaller and stacked between lord and rings
Themes
- Fantasy quest
- Wizard and sword
- Fire and dark sky
- Epic ensemble cast
- Ring-like fiery eye
Title on it
- The lord of the rings
Text on it
- THE LORD OF THE RINGS
- All Rights Reserved
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Man | Elderly, very long white beard, tall floppy pointed grey hat, grey robes, centre-left, facing forward |
| Man | Dark shoulder-length hair and full dark beard, dark green-black cloak, holding a short sword upright, left side |
| Child | Brown tousled hair, pale face in a light shirt, lower left, looking left |
| Man | Small figure in a dark hooded cloak, standing, lower left |
| Man | Small figure in a dark hooded cloak, standing beside the previous one, lower left |
| Man | Young man with curly dark hair and a solemn forward stare, head-and-shoulders portrait inside a gold oval arch, dead centre |
| Creature | Gaunt, bald, sinewy, sparse hair, torn ragged clothing, crawling on long arms, centre-right |
| Man | Tall, very gaunt, long grey beard and balding, white and violet robes, standing, right of centre |
| Woman | Blonde, pale, wearing a gold circlet or crown, head and shoulders, far right |
| Man | Hooded archer with arm drawn back and bow aimed, far right |
| Man | Red-armoured rider on a dark horse, lower right |
| Other | Group of black silhouetted mounted riders crossing pale water, bottom left |
Painted fantasy backglass, landscape format, framed by an ornate gold Celtic-knot border on black. At the top centre a huge red-orange flaming emblem shaped like a winged eye blazes from a fiery cloud against a red-black smoky sky. Left of centre an elderly white-bearded wizard in a tall floppy pointed grey hat; beside him a dark-haired bearded man in a dark cloak holding a short sword. Below them a brown-haired boy and two small hooded cloaked figures side by side. Dead centre a gold oval arch frames the portrait of a curly-haired young man. To his right a gaunt, bald, sinewy creature in torn clothing crawls forward on long arms. Further right a tall grey-bearded old man in white and violet robes stands before the blonde, circlet-crowned head of a woman. At the far right a hooded archer draws his bow, a ship sits on water, and a red-armoured rider appears below. Bottom left shows silhouetted riders crossing pale water. Dominant colours: gold, black, fiery red-orange and cold blue-grey. Huge gold serif capitals run across the bottom.