5 Best Star Wars Pinball Machines Of All Time, Ranked

Star Wars is one of the most influential and widespread franchises in popular culture, and there's so much more to it than just feature films. On top of all the TV shows that have come out in recent years, fans have plenty of comic books, novels, and video games to consume. While video games like "Knights of the Old Republic" and "Jedi: Survivor" get a lot of attention, another area of gaming where Star Wars excels is in pinball machines.

When the first Star Wars hit cineplexes in 1977, video games weren't anywhere near ready to handle the film's dynamic story and imagery. Pinball machines, on the other hand, offered an analog way for fans to get immersed in the universe of the franchise. The first one hit arcades in 1980 and manufacturers have been adapting the various Star Wars films and TV series into pinball machines ever since, with new tables being released somewhat regularly.

Pretty much the entire Star Wars story has been featured in pinball machines, and there have been some exceptional ones fighting for quarters throughout the world's arcades. Data East, Sega, and Stern have produced numerous complex and creative machines, and there are also some exceptional pinball video games that celebrate the franchise. These five games (ranked based on their Pinside ratings and general reputation among fans) represent the best Star Wars pinball machines ever made.

Pinball is one of the oldest forms of coin-operated amusement games, dating back to the 1930s. They've evolved into more complex machines, but they've also diverged into video games as well, where their physics and mechanics are easily emulated. The best pinball video game that celebrates the Star Wars franchise is "Star Wars," released by LucasArts and Zen Studios in February 2013. It has since been integrated into "Pinball FX" and "Zen Pinball 2," and there was a Nintendo Switch release in 2019.

The game features a wide variety of different pinball tables, all of which celebrate specific films, characters, and moments from the franchise. There's even one that focuses on Ahch-To, which, of course, includes the native creatures Porgs, which were invented for "The Last Jedi." While it was released with only three tables ("Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back," "Boba Fett," and "The Clone Wars"), expansions came later, building up the table count to 19 as the game drew in plenty of fans eager to play Star Wars-themed pinball tables with fully animated characters.

The number of different tables is one of the game's biggest draws, as is the gameplay — it does what real pinball tables can do, albeit to a limited degree. These animated interactions include relocating balls, firing flamethrowers, and avoiding Stormtrooper blaster fire. Some simulate more realistic depictions of real-world tables, and all of them are dynamic and fun to play, hence 2013's "Star Wars" making the top five.

There are several pinball machines that celebrate the original trilogy, and one of the best is Data East's (now Stern) table, simply titled "Star Wars." The game hit arcades in 1992 and it became Data East's best-selling licensed table. The layout includes several scenes from the films with C-3PO taking up the space between the flippers. Luke battles Vader before the Emperor in the playfield's central splash, while rails deliver balls on either side.

The most notable features are the mechanical renditions of R2-D2 in the upper-left space and the Death Star (one of the most powerful weapons in Star Wars) in the upper-right. Gameplay begins with the player attempting a skill shot, as if they're shooting at a fighter on the game's dot matrix display (DMD). The table also features a multiball mode that begins after hitting the Death Star several times. The DMD features various animations of ships and events from the films, and it also includes the voice of Darth Vader (James Earl Jones).

The music is straight out of the movies, and when played loudly, it really puts the player into the game, though it can make the voices a bit hard to hear. Regardless, "Star Wars" is easily one of the best pinball machines celebrating the franchise from the 1990s, and if you happen to find one while out and about in the real world, take a moment and feed it some quarters. There's even an upgraded version that was released to celebrate its 20th anniversary.

In the late 1990s, Sega released two games to capitalize on the Star Wars Trilogy Special Edition cinematic rereleases: "Star Wars Trilogy Arcade" and "Star Wars Trilogy," which is a pinball machine. Unlike previous tables, the Death Star isn't prominently featured. Instead, the game focuses on an X-Wing and a TIE fighter. Darth Vader appears in the playfield above the flippers with various targets, characters, and ship models spread about. These include Han Solo frozen in carbonite and a large double-barreled Death Star cannon.

As the name implies, the game focuses on the original Star Wars trilogy, featuring several pause-worthy moments. Instead of ramps, the table features clear tracks to deliver the balls around the playfield, adding a visual element you don't often see in pinball machines from the '90s. The DMD features tons of information on top of the score: There are several animated scenes from the movies, including the destruction of the Death Star, and it even includes trivia questions to add points to a player's final score, so the DMD is much more interactive than in most games.

Players can aim the X-Wing and fire balls at targets, jackpots, and other areas of the table to initiate a multiball mode. Overall, it's a fun game with plenty of interaction that keeps players feeding it quarters until their stack is depleted. Of all the 20th century pinball machines that focus primarily on the original trilogy, "Star Wars Trilogy" is the most popular for a reason.

Celebrating the Disney+ series of the same name, "Star Wars – The Mandalorian" is one of the best Star Wars Pinball tables released in recent years and one of the best, period. As is common with Stern's high-end tables, there are multiple versions of the game, with the Limited Edition one being the most sought-after. It features different art, a full-color mirrored backglass, and other improvements, though Stern only produced 750 of them, so they're a pretty rare find. However, no matter the version, the game experience itself is pretty much the same, and it's an excellent adaptation of the hit series.

This attractive pinball machine covers the entire "Mandalorian" timeline, with much of the gameplay focused around Grogu and Din Djarin. Some of the table's best features include a detailed model of the Razor Crest, top flippers, and an extraordinary animated model of Grogu in the upper-left of the playfield. Not only is this model just as adorable as the character from the TV show (and the recent feature film "The Mandalorian and Grogu," which failed at the box office), but it's also an integral part of the table's gameplay: Once Grogu is activated, a powerful "Force magnet" takes hold of the ball to shoot it down a separate lane.

The table also features a variety of encounters that arise depending on where you send the ball, and there's a minigame that plays out on Din Djarin's helmet, allowing for maximum scoring. There's a lot going on throughout the playfield and its many targets, so this table has got a great replay value — it seems like you're always discovering something new. While finding the LE is next to impossible, you can get your own Premium or Pro table from Stern.

The best Star Wars pinball game of all time is Stern's 2017 table, simply titled "Star Wars." Stern produced several versions, and while they're all well-made and feature some key differences, the highest-rated model is the Premium table with comic art. Regardless of which version you play, this table includes a large and detailed LED-lit interactive model of the Death Star that explodes and a beautiful 5-inch molded model of the famous Star Wars ship the Millennium Falcon.

The game's art celebrates the original trilogy, and it's loaded with plenty of targets, sounds, and everything you'd expect from a high-end Stern table. It even includes a color HD center-mounted LCD display that shows information pertaining to your gaming session. Nearly everything on the playfield is animated and interactive, and the game itself has 16 missions and a Wizard Mode that includes nine different multiball modes.

The backglass DMD is a full-color screen that shows tons of information, animations, and scenes from the films. It also allows for bonus games, including one where you shoot down TIE Fighters. If you're looking for a Star Wars pinball machine that is true to the franchise and a ton of fun to play, you need to find Stern's 2017 "Star Wars" table. Of course, you can always buy one yourself, but you're looking at $6,999 for the Pro edition and $9,699 for the Premium edition.