Stern Pinball Reveals AC/DC Remastered: New Lower Playfield, Eight More Songs, From $10,199

Punks, it’s a long way to the top, and Stern has gone back for another run at it. AC/DC Remastered was revealed today, an updated version of the 2012 AC/DC table that many players still rate as one of the best Stern has ever made.

The timing is no accident: it lands in the same week as Pinball Expo near Chicago, and only weeks after Stern’s Fallout table.

What’s new

Stern calls it an updated and enhanced take on the original ruleset, now on its SPIKE 3 system. According to Stern’s game page and announcement, the changes include:

• An all-new lower playfield with a captive bash ball, two flippers and a loop.
• Eight new AC/DC songs on top of the 2012 song list, shown on a lit song title board in the back panel, plus new selectable song modes.
• New wizard modes, including three new timed modes, according to The Crafty Catsman’s reading of Stern’s release: Oi Mania, Thunder Ramps and High Voltage.
• A custom-moulded TNT detonator box with an animated plunger and three TNT drop targets.
• Reworked toys, including the cannon, a Rock N Roll Train diverter with a sculpted locomotive and a revised Hells Bells bash toy.

Models and prices

There are only two versions, and no Pro this time.

Model	US price	UK RRP	Notes
Premium	$10,199	£8,299	Entry model
Limited Edition	$13,499	£10,899	500 machines worldwide, mirrored backglass, shaker motor, themed lighting

Prices are before VAT and tax and are sold through Stern’s distributors and dealers. Stern has not given a ship date, and it has not said anything about an upgrade kit for owners of the original 2012 machine.

Why it matters

The original AC/DC is one of those tables operators never wanted to give up. The cannon, the bell and the train made it a proper crowd pleaser in bars and arcades, and Stern has already brought it back more than once since 2012. A remaster with a brand-new lower playfield and fresh code is a much bigger job than a straight rerun, and it suggests Stern sees plenty of life left in the licence.

The price is the sting. With no Pro model, the cheapest way in is over ten grand, which puts it firmly in collector and premium-location territory rather than the corner pub.

Our take

Great table, great songs, big price. If you can’t stretch to a real one, a virtual pinball cab is the next best thing, and our Big D’s Pinball build is a good place to start. Full details are on Stern’s AC/DC Remastered page.

Which eight songs would you have added? Tell us in the comments.