Date: 1st October, 2022

The two James Bond machines featured in our earlier report from Christie’s are currently part of the James Bond 60th anniversary celebrations taking place at the British Film Institute in London where they are available for the public to play.

As a result, we can bring you some addition pictures of the Premium model and some exclusive gameplay video.

The Premium model's translite image
The Premium model’s translite image
The Premium model's playfield
The Premium model’s playfield

Since our initial report, the game’s software has been updated to give new sounds, display animations, rules, and lighting effects.

Updating the code
Updating the code

Probably the major mechanism on the playfield is the Bird One rocket at the top left.

Bird One with playfield lighting
Bird One with playfield lighting

When lit for lock, a ball shot up the right side of Bird One is diverted into an upkicker in the shape of a launch tower. This kicks the ball up to the start of a spiral wireform which ends with a physical three-ball on the playfield level behind the rocket.

The tower upkicker
The tower upkicker

When the third ball is locked, all three are released into the left orbit lane as multiball begins.

One of the other mechanism unique to the Premium and Limited Edition models is the Jetpack, which features a model of James Bond mounted on a moving arm and wearing the aforementioned jetpack. This contains a magnet which can pick up a ball when it is held on the right wireform by an up-post.

The James Bond jetpack model
The James Bond jetpack model

With the current implementation, the arm swings over to the tank target and hovers there, holding on to the ball. To release it, a new ball is auto-launched and you need to shoot the lit shot, which is usually the centre lock lane next to the tank.

The Bond jetpack model moves to above the tank model in the centre
The Bond jetpack model moves to above the tank model in the centre

Make the lit shot and you have a two-ball Jetpack Multiball.

Another Premium/LE feature is rather less interactive than either Bird One or the jetpack, and that’s the scuba fight scene under a window on the left side of the playfield.

Ordinarily, this appears as a dark, slightly mirrored window, but when the ball enters the side scoop (and at other times) the model below the window illuminates to show James Bond struggling with a baddie.

How the window normally appears
How the window normally appears
The illuminated scene below
The illuminated scene below

This is a static model on a spring mount which moves with the vibration of the game, much like the Creature model on Monster Bash.

The model below the window
The model below the window

We mentioned in our earlier article how the left-most of the three top M-I-6 rollover lanes is hidden from the player’s view by the tank model, although the insert is clearly visible.

The top M-I-6 lanes
The top M-I-6 lanes

There is a controlled gate to the left of the top lanes. This allows the ball to either complete the orbit lane or be stopped to fall into the lanes. At the start of the game, holding in the left flipper button opens the gate to allow the ball to continue past and arrive at the upper flipper. We would assume this would lead to a super skill shot on the side ramp, but in this version the super skill shot appear to be awarded at the side scoop instead.

On the back panel above the controlled gate are seven illuminated inserts spelling out the criminal organisation Spectre.

The S-P-E-C-T-R-E inserts on the back panel
The S-P-E-C-T-R-E inserts on the back panel

These are lit by hitting the corresponding standup targets arranged around the base of the Bird One rocket.

Locked balls are released into the left orbit
There are seven S-P-E-C-T-R-E standups around the base of Bird One

The spinner targets are worthy of a mention, despite not being entirely new devices.

Rather than being attached to an arm which triggers a microswitch to record spins, these spinners use an optical sensor to detect movement. Originally we thought that might mean an interrupter disc on the end of the spinner arm which broke or made an IR beam, but it appear to use the edge of the spinner or the arm to reflect a transmitter’s IR light back into a receiver.

The optical spinner
The optical spinner

It certainly does produce a very free-spinning spinner, although a similar effect was produced on Stern Electronics games back in the ’80s, and those did use a physical switch.

Here are a few more playfield shots before we get to our gameplay video.

The Villain and Henchmen ramps lead to a common wireform. It is possible for a weaker shot up the Henchmen ramp can roll back down the Villain ramp.

The two ramps on the right - one shot from the main flippers and one from the upper flipper
The two ramps on the right – one shot from the main flippers and one from the upper flipper

The three Osato drop targets are quite widely spaced on this prototype machine. There is the potential for the ball to get trapped behind them if the illuminated acrylic ring around the base of Bird One doesn’t lie entirely flush to the playfield. If it is screwed down fully, though, it should be fine.

The Osato Chemical drop targets which light the lock lane for Bird One multiball
The Osato Chemical drop targets which light the lock lane for Bird One multiball

There is a one-way gate in the Bird One lane to the left of the drop targets which allows the ball to roll to the left, into the left orbit lane, and onto the upper flipper. This makes it a good way to set up the ball for an easier side orbit or side ramp shot.

The Bird One lane with a one-way gate
The Bird One lane with a one-way gate

The Q Branch upkicker is quite well hidden beneath the Aston Martin DB5 model and the right wireform, but with a little practice it can be shot fairly easily.

The shot into the Q Branch upkicker
The shot into the Q Branch upkicker
The Q Branch upkicker send the ball through the roof of the Aston Martin DB5
The Q Branch upkicker sends the ball through the roof of the Aston Martin DB5

That concludes this pictorial look at the playfield.

The Premium model's playfield
The Premium model’s playfield
In case you were wondering...
In case you were wondering…

Finally, we have a gameplay video featuring the key multiballs and some of the other in-game features.

We released an earlier version, but had to remove it since it contained display assets which hadn’t been approved at the time. In this version we have concentrated more on the actual gameplay, although there are callouts, music tracks, display animations and much more included. Gameplay has been edited to remove some of the more repetitive action and focus on the shots, modes, combos and plenty of multiballs.

Thank you to Stern Pinball for their permission to show the video. We hope you enjoy it.

  • The annual EAG International Expo trade show

    EAG INTERNATIONAL EXPO

    The annual EAG International Expo returned to the ExCel London exhibition centre for the 2…
  • Stern Pinball's new Jaws game

    STERN ANNOUNCES JAWS

    After teasing their latest ‘cornerstone’ title, Stern Pinball today released d…
  • Stern Pinball teases their upcoming Jaws game

    STERN TEASES JAWS GAME

    Stern Pinball today started the launch of their latest cornerstone title, Jaws, with a tea…
Load More Related Articles
  • The Texas Pinball Festival 2024

    TEXAS PINBALL FESTIVAL 2024

    Date: 12th March 2024 Location: Embassy Suites & Frisco Convention Center, 7600 John Q Ha…
  • Free Play Arlington, Texas

    FREE PLAY ARLINGTON

    We’re here in Texas for the annual Texas Pinball Festival, but before that we found …
  • The Black Rose: Skull and Bones kit from Cardona Pinball Designs

    BLACK ROSE: SKULL AND BONES REVIEW

    Today we are going in-depth with the ‘2.0’ conversion kit for the Bally title,…
Load More By Pinball News
Load More In GAMES

2 Comments

  1. davec

    12th October, 2022 at 9:20am

    This has to be a very popular theme. goldfinger mode is something i’d like to see. I’m probably in minority but i liked golden eye from Sega, same company before it became Stern

    Reply

  2. Flaxman Low

    17th November, 2022 at 1:26pm

    A “dream come true” or just truly nightmare pricing?

    A triumph of marketing over content sees Stern now the most expensive pinball manufacturer for what you get. I’m out.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Check Also

BLACK ROSE: SKULL AND BONES REVIEW

Today we are going in-depth with the ‘2.0’ conversion kit for the Bally title,…